This bright, tangy, and earthy salad is an ideal winter meal combo for when you want to get some fresh veggies in but still want something warm and comforting. Enter: Sweet, caramelized roasted beets over fresh mixed greens paired with citrus, candied pecans, and drizzled with 3 ingredient dill-yogurt dressing.

This recipe was inspired by a delicious side salad that I had at Tusk, a local Mediterranean restaurant here in Portland. It was one of the first times that a side salad dish was the highlight of an all-around amazing meal. They paired fresh herbs with roasted beets and blood oranges. I’d never had this sweet-tart, earthy-citrus combination before and was instantly hooked!

It’s so simple that I usually just post the recipe in my Instagram captions and call it a day! But

I feel like I say this a lot here, but this is by far one of my favorite recipes to date! I really love a variety of Asian cuisines because of their rich flavors and unique use of vegetables — especially Vietnamese and Chinese. This recipe is a Pan-Asian fusion pairing sweet and salty Chinese Hoisin sauce with a Vietnamese inspired slaw of raw carrots, cilantro, and cucumber.

Hoisin sauce originates in Cantonese cooking as a glaze for meats, an addition to stir fries, or as a dipping sauce for a variety of foods. It’s dark and thick and both sweet and salty with just a hint of spice, often referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce. In this recipe, it lends itself as a glaze for the chicken meatballs and is the central flavor of the dish.

This recipe was originally inspired by a delicious Banh mi sandwich that I had from a local restaurant, Lardo. It’s truly sensational and my favorite part is the fresh veggies they add to the sandwich to balance the richness of the meat. My slaw is my attempt at mirroring that magic — a combination of shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, fresh cilantro, rice wine vinegar, and a punch of tartness from sliced green apples.

You’ll notice that I use store-bought Hoisin in this recipe — I chose to do this for a few reasons. One

I know what you’re thinking — quinoa for breakfast?? — I get it but trust me, this is a game changer! For me, one of the most difficult parts of breakfast is finding a quick meal that’s going to fill me up and fuel my busy mornings. A lot of traditional breakfasts can be carbohydrate heavy (toasts, granola, cereal, instant oats) and leave us hungry way before lunch when they’re not paired with enough fat and protein.

Quinoa is a great morning grain option because it provides complex carbohydrates, or fiber, and protein. In fact, quinoa is one of the few plant-based protein sources that…

This veggie packed bowl is a gut boosting powerhouse! Fiber found in the vegetables and lentils serve as prebiotics, or food for your gut bacteria, while the yogurt acts as a probiotic by adding beneficial microbes to the party. Fresh herbs, pomegranate and curry spice which includes turmeric, ginger and coriander, provide antioxidants to support your gut, immune system, skin and more.