healthy

Paleo dieters craving a big bowl of stir-fry will find delicious comfort in this fresh, bright, and satisfying cauliflower "rice" recipe. Beyond being a Paleo-friendly offering, this grain-free stir-fry has zero cholesterol, is low in sodium, and offers your entire daily recommended intake of vitamin A and vitamin C in just one meal. While this recipe requires a decent amount of chopping in the kitchen, once the prep is done, the cook time is under 15 minutes — just trust me on this one, the healthy result is well worth the effort.

Keep reading for your new favorite Paleo recipe.

Do you, like me, equate sun-filled May days with outdoor eating and drinking? If so, then you'll spring for this speedy, supersimple, no-cook bean salad.

Macaroni and potato salads may get most of the love, but I'd argue the unsung hero of the picnic is actually the bean salad: it's light, full of wholesome ingredients, and satisfying. This six-bean version in particular boasts a symphony of flavors; it's sweet, savory, tangy, a little bit spicy, and bright (thanks to the addition of fresh dill). Best of all, it's free of any cream or mayonnaise, so you'll never have to worry about it baking in the Summer sun.

Get the effortless bean salad recipe now.

If your hair is dull, dry, and brittle, forget spending tons of money on shampoos and styling products that claim to offer shine and moisture. You need to replenish your hair from the inside out! Made from hair-healthy ingredients like Greek yogurt, blueberries, and kidney beans, this smoothie will help moisturize the scalp and encourage growth. The beans also offer biotin, which is not only great for your hair, but for your skin as well.

This under 400-calorie smoothie contains almost 20 grams of protein. If you're skeptical about the beans and spinach, the fruit overpowers their mild flavors so you hardly even notice they're there.

Keep reading for the simple recipe and nutritional info.

A grain-free life does not have to be free of comfort food! When you're craving a big bowl of garlicky pasta, cook up these zucchini noodles aglio et olio (garlic and oil) instead. The real comfort here, other than that fragrant garlic, comes from "breadcrumbs" created from toasted almond meal; I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed their flavor and texture.

Keep reading for this protein-packed, Paleo-friendly recipe for pasta.

At the mere mention the word "picnic," my ears perk up. So when I was flipping through Heather Christo's Generous Table and came across a menu plan for a lakeshore picnic, I knew I'd have to make at least one recipe from her spread. Add an early and bountiful cherry season to the mix — my local farmers market suddenly became overrun with them last week — and it was settled. Quinoa salad with cherries and feta would make it to my table, and soon.

Thankfully, Christo's palate is spot-on. Juicy cherries play off salty feta like old friends. Add grassy parsley, sharp minced shallot, and nutty toasted almonds to the mix, and the result is a hearty grain-based salad perfect for picnics, brown-bag lunches, or just because. As long as cherries keep finding their way into my farmers market tote, this delightful dish will be on my table.

Get the fast and fruity recipe.

If you're having trouble falling asleep at night, skip the sleeping pills for this nutrient-rich juice instead. Neka Pasquale, founder of Urban Remedy, developed this recipe using ingredients known for having calming properties on the body. The result is a bright and balanced green juice that would taste good whatever the time of day! Here's how each ingredient adds to the overall effect of Neka's natural sleep aid:

• Celery juice: Neka says celery juice contains essential oils that have a "calming effect on the nervous system," which can help the body unwind. "It also contains a high level of magnesium, which promotes muscle relaxation and a sense of well-being."
• Watercress and romaine: Both of these ingredients are high in calcium, which, like magnesium, can help the body relax after a long day.
• Lemon and orange: The citrus in this recipe contain inositol, which Neka says can help enhance REM sleep. In small studies, inositol has also been shown to calm anxiety, which may be especially helpful if stress keeps you up at night.

But juice alone is not a cure-all to restless nights; taking care of the body is key, Neka says. "Get yourself in bed around 10 p.m., as this is the body's natural resting time. Even if you're not ready to fall asleep, lay down and read a book or listen to music. It's the act of putting the body in a resting position that's most important!”

See Neka's recipe for sweet green sleep juice after the break!

I liked but never loved Greek salads until I tried them in Greece. At the height of Summer, even the red onions are so sweet and tame, I could eat chunks of them like apples. I never met a mealy nor sour tomato, just tomatoes so ripe they didn't even need a sprinkle of salt to draw out their perfect flavor. And the feta. Can we stop a second to describe the crumbly, umami-filled feta, sliced ever-so-thinly and sprinkled with the most fragrant oregano that I can't help but imagine the restaurants plucked it from their backyard bushes?

While it has been four years since my last visit to Greece, the memories linger vehemently. I've tried my best to re-create and somewhat American-ize the recipe, so you can enjoy the salad at home.

Need an energizing, detoxifying meal to go along with your bikini shape-up plan? This blended green detox soup should be on the menu. The main stars, mustard greens and collard greens, are chock-full of nutrients that aid in flushing out toxins in the body, called glucosinolates, which are found in high amounts in mustard greens and collard greens. Both greens are also high in vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and manganese, making this soup an important part of a nutritious diet. At just over 100 calories, it's high in carbs from the vegetables and has a decent amount of fiber and protein; pair it with these filling lunch ideas to stay satisfied.

Get the recipe here.