I love experimenting with new ways to eat vegetables and have to say that I was ecstatic when it was decided that veggies would make a delightful substitute for carbs such as pasta and rice. If you are curious about the many ways in which you can use a variety of vegetables and fruits in a spaghetti, linguine, rice style fashion I would strongly suggest that you check out inspiralized.com, they have so many amazing inspirations for using vegetables as a base instead of a side and I absolutely love their website! Like LOVE!!

Today I was thinking about their rice recipe and how I could use it as a base to some delicious recipes. Now I was never a huge fan of plain old rice even though I have eaten my fair share of rice and beans! I have been a vegetarian since I was 14 years old, so that equates to about 9,000 people telling me all about my protein needs, if you ever went veg than you know exactly what I am talking about. Alkaline diets debunk the myth that you need exorbitant amounts of protein to be healthy, in fact most western diets consist of way too much protein. On an Alkaline diet you eat a wide variety of vegetables and therefore consume as much protein as you need, if I was a tri-athlete or a marathoner than I would definitely want to consume more protein but there is no need for me to eat 15 eggs a day and copious amounts of rice and beans. Which leads me back to the 'rice' in this dish it is actually shredded sweet potato and wow, was it perfect for my faux pineapple fried rice dish.

I personally love pineapple, it is one of my favorite foods by far. It is so sweet and tangy and burns my tongue in the perfect way and cooking it makes it even sweeter and more delightful. In this dish, I combines my sweet potato rice with fresh pineapple, onion, garlic, jalapeno, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil to make a light, satisfying, nutrient dense, vitamin c rich dish. I hope you enjoy!

Pineapple Fried Sweet Potato 'Rice'

Serves 2

2 medium Sweet Potatoes, shredded to a rice consistency

1 small Onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 Jalapeno Pepper, minced (optional)

1 cup Pineapple, diced

1 cup Kale

2 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Sesame Oil

1 tbs Soy Sauce

2in piece of Ginger, grated

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat until glistening, add the onion, stirring to coat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and jalapeno to the pan, stirring to combine, cook for another 2 minutes until well blended. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce sesame oil, and ginger, add to the pan along with the pineapple and kale. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the kale has slightly wilted and the pineapple is warm. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. Enjoy and healthy eating!

I have been craving Mexican lately, all week I have been following the trend, last Sunday I made those delicious Chipolte Quinoa stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Wednesday I had a vegetable burrito at the delightful Gabby's in Ellenville, NY, and I have been craving avocados for days! Maybe it is the cumin and chili powder and that lovely heat that burns slowly in your stomach that I am craving or perhaps it is actually just the avocados! I love avocados, they are creamy, salty, delicious perfection while being heart healthy, and loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. I can't say enough about them, the versatility is amazing, mashed, sliced, cubed, eaten straight with a spoon - I will take them anyway I can get them.

Avocados are an essential aspect of an Alkaline diet for they are one of the top 10 alkaline foods and can be used to enhance many a recipe, from smoothies to salad. They are filled with tons of omegas, beta- carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, selenim, and can actually lower cholesterol and help you lose weight. You can see that I am partial to the unique fruit and as I had a few limes sitting in the fridge that needed to be used I decided that tonight would be quac night! Guacamole is one of my favorite ways to showcase avocados, I love using it on toast, chips, crackers, and pretty much just shovel it in with a spoon every chance I get. It always seems to make every dish better. And it is so simple to make!

Although I could add guacamole to any dish, I really wanted to showcase its simplicity by serving it with chips. I mean who doesn't love chips and dip? The salty crunch and the smooth guacamole is a divine combination! I could definitely use potatoes to make my baked chips but I prefer to use turnips as they have more nutritional value and a slightly earthy, sweet taste that seems to pair nicely with the lime and onion used in the guac. I hope that you enjoy!

Baked Turnip Chips

2 Medium to Large Turnips, sliced evenly

2 tbs Olive Oil

1./2 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mandolin slice the turnips into thin rounds. Toss the sliced turnips with the olive oil and seasonings. Lay them on a cookie sheet or on a rack placed on a cookie sheet (this allows for even cooking and helps them crisp faster). Once they begin to brown remove them from the oven. Snack away!

Fresh Guacamole

2 Avocados

1 Small Red Onion, chopped

1/2 of a Jalapeno, diced

2 Tomatoes, chopped

Juice of 1 Lime

Handful of fresh Cilantro

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Slice the avocado in half, scooping out the flesh into a bowl, mash depending on how chunky you like it. Stir in the onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, lime, cilantro, and salt. Let sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to meld. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!