WHY WE LOVE THEM

There’s something about pickled onions that makes us smile. Maybe it’s their vibrant fuschia color or the fact that they add so much flavor to everything (and we mean EVERYTHING) that we serve these with. We don’t know about you but the idea of adding these pretty onions on fajitas and tacos makes us pretty happy. We’re condiment people over here so anytime we have an idea to create a new condiment, we’re on it and these are just the thing you need in your fridge to up the flavor profile of literally everything you eat.

HOW WE MAKE THEM

PREP TIPS // When you’re food shopping, try to buy organic ingredients. Here are The Benefits of Eating Organic. These pickled onions are ideal to make ahead to use throughout the next few weeks. You’ll need to let them sit for a few hours on the countertop before eating them so be sure to plan ahead. They are worth the wait. Trust us! We usually prep pickled onions on a Sunday night so that they can sit throughout the week in our fridge and be used that week and the following in all of our main meals. Find a schedule that works for you because planning ahead is well worth it when you have these in your fridge to add to everything.

INGREDIENT SWAPS // You can easily use white onions but trust us, they do not taste as good so we recommend sticking with the red onions for this recipe.

THREE easy STEPS

Here’s how we made these Pickled Onions in three simple steps.

STEP 1 // Combine the apple cider vinegar, honey, sea salt and peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over a bowl of thinly sliced red onions and let this sit on the countertop at room temperature for 4 hours.

STEP 2 // Transfer the onions and cider mixture to a sealed ball jar and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

STEP 3 // Serve chilled.

LISTEN // STEP-by-STEP DIRECTIONS

Listen below for Amie’s tips that are not mentioned in this article as well as quick directions on how to make this recipe step-by-step.

SHOP the RECIPE

HOW WE EAT THEM

SERVING SUGGESTIONS // We love serving these pickled onions with our Roasted Carrot Vegetarian Tacos, Nourishing Roasted Cauliflower Bowl and our Easy Veggie Nachos with Garlic Tahini Sauce recipes because they pair well with anything from burgers to leftover sandwiches. We serve these onions straight out of the glass jars (as shown above in SHOP the RECIPE and place them on the dinner table for everyone to serve themselves. We highly suggest keeping the onions chilled until ready to serve so they are nice and crisp and cool to bite into as a topping or garnish. Our favorite way to serve these onions is with a handful of finely chopped parsley on tacos!

STILL HUNGRY? For more of our anti-inflammatory recipes, check out our 3-Month Anti-Inflammatory Program, which is only available for a limited time through April.

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Pickled Red Onions

These pickled onions are so easy to make (just five ingredients!) and will jazz up any dish as a topping.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword onions

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Sitting Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 ounces

Calories 22kcal

Author Amie Valpone

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 4 tsp sea salt
• 1 ½ tsp black peppercorns

Instructions

• Place the onions in a small bowl and set aside. 
• Then, combine the apple cider vinegar, salt, honey and peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. 
• Remove from the heat and pour the liquid over the onions; let sit for 4 hours on the countertop at room temperature. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate. This recipe will keep in the fridge in the sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.04g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 1165mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.2mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

If you make this recipe, rate it below + post a picture of it on social media + tag @AmieValpone. We love connecting with all of you on Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Twitter or book a private session with Amie.

Recipe by Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple. Please do not reprint this recipe without our permission. If you’d like to feature this recipe on your website, please rewrite the directions and link to this recipe as the original source. Thank you.

This article may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase by clicking those links.

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AUDIO

Listen to Amie go into detail about how to make this arugula pesto, what you need to know about going organic, choosing organic food over conventional, and why she chooses to eat organic.

ORGANIC

According to Wikipedia, organic food is produced by methods that comply with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming, in general, features practices that cycle resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organizations regulating organic products may restrict the use of certain pesticides and fertilizers in the farming methods used to produce such products. In general, organic foods are also usually not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or synthetic food additives.

I didn’t understand what organic meant years ago before I went through my 12-year journey of chronic health issues. You could say I was “asleep” to what was going on behind the scenes of our collapsing food system that pockets money off of selling us cheap, inflammatory foods that hijack our tastebuds.

What is Organic?

It wasn’t until halfway through my health journey that I actually started to believe there might be something to this whole “eating organic” thing. I was skeptical, to say the least for many, many years. I mean, come on… the organic lettuce looks EXACTLY the same way the CONVENTIONAL (non-organic) lettuce looks so what is the big deal? Well, that was my mindset for a long time until the people around me who were also in a healing crisis were finally starting to feel a difference in their health by lessening their body burden of toxins on a daily basis, something I talk about extensively in my best-selling cookbook, Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body.

What I’ve realized since then is this: what is inside the food and sprayed on the food has nothing to do with what it looks like. 

What’s important to understand is what is sprayed on the food you’re eating because when it rains, the rain drips off the plants that are sprayed and the pesticides go into the soil and yes, you guessed it, the roots! So, you can see how no matter how well you wash that apple of yours, it doesn’t matter because the pesticides and herbicides are INSIDE.

Did you know USDA Certified Organic is the most regulated and inspected label in food today? Earthbound Farm joined what was once a movement and is now an industry, early on. Earthbound fought side-by-side with activists, farmers, retailers, manufacturers, academics and environmentalists for a high-integrity organic standard, one all consumers could trust. Earthbound believes they all won, and that means our environment also wins.

So, why do I choose organic? I’ll tell you in the AUDIO feature above.

ESSENTIALS

These things I believe are essential to know about organic food and what you’re putting on your plate. Organic farming benefits:

1. Keeps toxic and persistent synthetic chemicals out of the soil, water, air, and food.
2. Creates a safer working environment for farmers and farm workers.
3. Reduces chemical exposure to neighboring homes, schools and businesses.
4. Builds healthier soils through cover cropping and crop rotation, and by adding only organic amendments which also reduces soil erosion.
5. Promotes healthy, balanced ecosystems and biodiversity.
6. Reduces danger to non-target species.

Want to know an easy trick for finding organic produce in your food store?

Look for the #9 on your produce when you’re in the food store. The #9 means that the produce is organic! Be sure to check out the stickers on everything from apples to pears and lemons and limes, and especially for the ingredients you need to pick up to make this arugula pesto.

HOW CHOOSING ORGANIC AFFECTS YOU

Your liver is in charge of taking all the toxins you’re bombarded with on a daily basis and removing them from your body. It’s a BIG job. I’ve been detoxing my liver for over a decade and I’m still working on it. What I want you to understand is the less amount of toxins (pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, antibiotics from conventional meats and eggs, over the counter pills, synthetic hormones such as birth control, alcohol, processed foods, etc) you put into your body, the better you will feel and the more energy you will have because your body will not be working so hard to try to remove synthetic chemicals, hormones and more. If you’re looking for a deeper way to support your liver on a daily basis, our 3-Month Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan can help you go deeper.

Here are a few terms and important facts that will help you understand what fresh organic food means while also helping you feel confident that organic food is a healthier and safer choice vs. conventional.

National Organic Program Standards

(USDA Certified Organic)

• USDA officially launched its National Organic Program (NOP) in 1990 with the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act.
• NOP standards govern organic certification of farming, handling, and processing operations.
• NOP created a uniform definition of organic foods with standardized product labeling
  guidelines.
• Under USDA standards for organic food production, farms, manufacturers, and distributors must be inspected on location annually by a USDA-accredited certifier.
• The detailed USDA standards for organic are more than 500 pages long.

USDA Standards for Organic Certification

• No conventional synthetic pesticides.
• No fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge.
• No genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• No irradiation.
• Clear and appropriate buffers between organic fields and nearby conventional farms.
• A three-year minimum transition period for fields that have been previously farmed conventionally.
• Annual inspection by USDA-approved, independent certifier.

Product Labeling Requirements

Products allowed to display the USDA Organic seal

• “100% Organic”: made entirely with certified organic ingredients.
• “Organic”: made with at least 95% certified organic ingredients.

Products disallowed from displaying the USDA Organic seal but contain organic ingredients

• “Made with organic ingredients”: products made with at least 70% organic ingredients may make an organic claim on the display panel of the product.
• Products containing less than 70% organic ingredients may only include mention of organic on ingredient listing and not on the packaging panel of the product.

STILL HUNGRY? For more of our anti-inflammatory recipes, check out our 3 Month Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan, which is only available for a limited time.

SHOP the STORY

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5 Minute Arugula Pesto

This super easy 5-minute pesto recipe uses arugula instead of basil for a fun, savory twist. It's perfect for topping roasted organic cauliflower.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword pesto

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 375kcal

Author Amie Valpone

Ingredients

Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 large head cauliflower , cut into 1-inch florets
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Pesto

• 2 cups Earthbound Farm Baby Kale & Arugula Blend
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp. fresh lemon zest
• Juice of 1/2 large lemon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• pinch ground cumin

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• Place the cauliflower florets onto the prepared baking dish, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown.
• Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients in a food processor and puree until it forms a pesto consistency. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Remove the cauliflower from the oven and spoon the pesto on top of the cauliflower. Serve immediately. Keep the cauliflower and pesto in separate sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 849mg | Potassium: 1476mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 207.7mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2.9mg

If you make this arugula pesto recipe, rate it below + post a picture of it on social media + tag @AmieValpone. We love connecting with all of you on Facebook // Pinterest // Instagram // Twitter or book a private session with Amie.

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I’m honored and so excited to share a recipe from one of my dear friends, Almila who writes the beautiful wellness website, The Thirlby, today. She just wrote a stunning new cookbook, The Thirlby, and I am thrilled to share this easy and super simple dressing to weave you out of summer and into fall.

I met Almila a few years ago and we completely hit it off; we are on the same wavelength in terms of healing the body and we just get each other. You know those people that just get you and you just get them? Well, she’s one of them and she’s lovely. Almila reached out to me via my website and we have become dear friends so I am beyond thrilled to be sharing this delicious dressing from her stunning new cookbook

How to Make: Preserved Lemon–Poppy Seed Dressing

You can make this dressing in less than 5 minutes. As always, I like my recipes to be 3 simple steps or less. Here’s how to make your dressing:

1. Toss everything into a high-speed blender.
2. Puree until creamy and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
3. EAT with salads, veggies and anything else you’d like!

Tips for Making This Dressing

Mustard is delicious but remembers no matter what brand you buy, the flavor will be different. I use the Whole Food Market brand, which tastes SO much differently than Eden Food’s and that tastes different from other brands so play around to see what brand you like the best!

Make sure your mustard doesn’t contain artificial flavors, vegetable oils, sugar, or distilled, grain-based vinegars. Almila prefers Eden Food’s organic brown mustard, which is stone-ground with apple cider vinegar, another probiotic-rich fermented ingredient.

Store this dressing in a sealable container (such as the below small ball jar- that’s what I use) for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

SHOP the STORY

When you’re food shopping, try to buy organic ingredients. Here’s why I eat organic: The Benefits of Eating Organic.

If you make this recipe, rate it below and post a picture of it on social media (tag @AmieValpone). I’d love to hear from you; you can follow me and chat with me directly on facebook // pinterest // instagram // twitter or book a private session with Amie.

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Preserved Lemon–Poppy Seed Dressing

I love this lemon poppy seed dressing recipe - it's super simple and delicious for salads. This anti-inflammatory recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 99kcal

Author Almila Kakinc-Dodd

Ingredients

• 1 preserved lemon recipe in book
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1/4 cup raw or Manuka honey
• 2 cloves garlic peeled
• 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• In a high-speed blender, purée the preserved lemon, lemon juice, honey, garlic, poppy seeds, and brown mustard. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil and continue blending until thoroughly emulsified.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use the dressing immediately or store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 6mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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There’s nothing like a homemade hummus. Wouldn’t you agree?

Something about the smooth, silky consistency of humus that get me every time. I could literally face plant myself into a bowl of this every single day.

Get a load of this: I’ve been slowly able to add in hummus (without getting bloated with a belly ache) into my lifestyle since beans were so troublesome for me for awhile and I love how satisfying and filling hummus can be served alone with raw veggies, nori sheets, my Grain-Free Crackers, Grain-Free Almond Crackers, Grain-Free Parsnip Focaccia and my Grain-Free Sweet Potato Flatbread recipes for the ultimate yummy experience.

According to moi, hummus in general is all about the flavorings- just plain pureed beans doesn’t cut it for me. I need real flavor. I’m talking mouth-watering, can’t get enough of it-flavor. Know what I mean? A flat flavored hummus is just super boring and well, flat. No can do! So, this hummus was created with a whole lotta flavor in mind. I chose cannellini beans pretty much because it’s all I had at home when I was whipping up this recipe, but you can surely use chickpeas (garbanzo beans) if you’d like…totally up to you!

You can add in any of your favorite flavors such as sun dried tomatoes, olives, fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, etc), garlic, fresh lemon juice, fresh orange juice, balsamic vinegar or anything else that will jazz up your hummus. Have fun, get creative and dive into this bowl of super creamy (and did I mention fabulous?) hummus.

p.s. Please put this on your to-make list this week. It will blow your mind- you need a little spark in your week and trust me- that mayo on your sandwich isn’t going to cut it. Serve this hummus with any appetizer or main dish (use it in place of the mayo on your sandwich, in place of ketchup for your fries, stuffed into bell peppers and anything else you wanna do with it- you won’t be disappointed.

Enjoy!

xo

Looking for a few new recipes for the fall? My cookbook Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation and Reset Your Body (over 200 recipes no gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, eggs, corn, etc.) plus how to detox your body and your life (cleaning supplies, beauty products, home, etc.) is available in stores nationwide. It also includes my story of how I detoxed and healed from 10 years of chronic illness!

For more of my favorites, follow me around my kitchen and Manhattan on facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter and google plus.

Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why I eat organic: The Benefits of Eating Organic.

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Sun Dried Tomato Oregano Hummus (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free)

Free of Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Eggs, Corn and Refined Sugar. Vegetarian and Vegan.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword soyfree, vegan, gluten free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Calories 179kcal

Author Amie Valpone

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked white cannellini beans or from BPA-free cans, drained
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor; puree until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and serve. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 901mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 5mg

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The post Sun Dried Tomato Oregano Hummus (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free) appeared first on Amie Valpone.

Okay this recipe is so delicious I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

I wasn’t sure if I should call it a dip or a spread. My parents tried this recipe and my father said it’s a spread while my mother said it’s a dip. So, if two people who have lived together for over 30 years can’t decide what this is – then there is no hope for a name here.

But there is hope for FLAVOR and amazing taste in every bite of this carrot medley of goodness.

Are you ready to dig in?

And if you haven’t had a chance, check out my new cookbook, Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation and Reset Your Body.

There’s nothing like sunshine in Manhattan in May and this spread (dip) is just the thing you need to brighten up your day even more.

It’s the perfect condiment to add to anything from my grain-free crackers and grain-free sweet potato flatbread as well as my grain-free parsnip focaccia recipe and my grain-free zucchini pizza crust.

Wow that’s a lot of options- but I think you’ll manage making all of those recipes because you’ll want to make this carrot spread over and over again.

So, you can get creative and spread it onto those crackers, flatbreads and pizza crust or you can add a scoop to salads and oatmeal as well as sandwiches in place of mayo.

Lots of variety here for you…

I created this recipe because I needed more sunshine in my life and I wanted to whip up something bright and fresh and delicious in my food processor so that I could add it to my salads and crackers for snacks and main meals.

Sometimes I get bored with salads and snacks – so I’m constantly plugging in my food processor and whirling a bunch of ingredients together to make some sort of mater piece.

And this is my latest spring-time master piece.

It’s pretty fabulous, if I do say so myself.

I’ve got a pretty good feeling you’re going to fall in love with this sunshine spread.

Just looking at it makes me smile…so bright and happy. Isn’t it?

Who can resist digging into something that makes you smile AND something that’s healthy and good for you?

Surely I can’t, which is why I’m making this again tomorrow for clients who are begging for another batch of this.

So, how are you going to use this spread this week?

Are you going to use it as a dip with raw veggies or serve it atop my crackers, flatbreads and focaccia?

My cookbook Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation and Reset Your Body has over 200 recipes no gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, eggs, corn, etc. plus how to detox your body and your life.

For more of my favorites, follow me around my kitchen and Manhattan on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why I eat organic: The Benefits of Eating Organic.

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Sweet Sunshine Carrot Spread (Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free)

Free of Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Eggs, Corn and Refined Sugar. Vegetarian and Vegan.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword soyfree, vegan, gluten free, carrot, paleo, sweet

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 114kcal

Author Amie Valpone

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots peeled and diced
• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1 Tbsp. chickpea miso paste
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes drained well from oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure maple syrup
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Process carrots in the food processor until finely ground. Add walnuts and process again until finely ground. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture reaches your desired consistency.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
• Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3830IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

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