Tag: Healthy Recipes

The GLOW-UP SMOOTHIE

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Looking for a clean, refreshing green smoothie that will give your skincare an extra boost? Well, keep reading. 

Not only is this smoothie easy to make, but it also packs a healthy punch, especially for those looking to get their glow on. Spinach promotes vitamin C and collagen production, and the anti-inflammatory properties of fresh ginger can help reduce redness and puffiness. With refreshing mint leaves and lime juice, this smoothie will be hard to put down—and your skin will thank you.

Below, learn how to make your new favorite smoothie.

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Glow-Up Smoothie

RECIPE TYPE: Breakfast, Snack

DIETARY INFO: Dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free

SERVING SIZE: 1

TOTAL TIME: 5 mins

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup spinach
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 banana
4-5 fresh mint leaves
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 cup coconut water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Juice of one lime

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend on high until smooth. Enjoy!

Show us how you recreate (or modify) this delicious recipe and use hashtag beautyleebarpalate for a chance to be featured on our social.

More Spinach Smoothie Inspo:

@mathildechamberland

I think I’ve mastered my green smoothie blend 💚Frozen mangoes (about 1/4 cup)1 ripe bananaHandful of spinach 1 tbsp chia seeds2 tsp SpirulinaJuice of 1 lemonCover with coconut waterLet me know if you try it 🤍#thatgirl #greensmoothie #vegan #plantbased #healthyfood #healthyrecipe #smoothie #healthyhabits #healthandwellness #wellness

♬ original sound – Ian Asher
@beksweik

Make a smoohie with us! Our go to every day smoothing that is soo refresing! Bananas Spinach Frozen mango Ginger Squeez of lime Coconut water #momsoftiktok #fyp #firsttimemom #babytok #babyboy #momlife #foryoupage

♬ original sound – Rebekah 🤎 Lifestyle • Mama
@health.daily2

Green Smoothie #smoothie #weightloss #healthyliving

♬ Cooking Time – Lux-Inspira
@themadisonrae

This smoothie changed my life Water, coconut water, spinach, mint, banana, frozen mango & pineapple #smoothie #wellnesstok #fyp

♬ original sound – Madison Rae 🪩
@crysxcaptures

My favorite green smoothie as of latelyyyyy 🥬🍌🍏 #greensmoothie #greensmoothierecipe #pregnantsmoothie #latinastiktok

♬ Passionfruit – Drake

I Made Cameron Diaz’s Crunch Salad, and It Is the Perfect Summer Meal

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I’m not proud to admit it, but my beige flag is that I don’t eat much vegetables. As a kid, I ate vegetables like they were going out of style, but now as a 25-year-old woman, I find myself having to sneak them into my meals to make sure I’m getting a proper amount of much-needed nutrients. One of the ways I do this is by having a couple of go-to salads in my arsenal that feel more like a fun dish than just a daily dose of greens. Enter Cameron Diaz’s Summer Crunch Salad. 

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When I first heard about Cameron Diaz’s summer crunch salad in collaboration with Goop Kitchen, it didn’t even seem like the dish you think about when you hear the word “salad” (read: mango and cashews). This salad is available for delivery through Goop Kitchen, but for those of us who don’t live within their delivery radius (LA), read on for everything you’ll need to recreate this fresh summer salad at home. 

The Ingredients and Recipe

Avaline’s blog spilled the full list of ingredients and steps needed to make the base of the salad, the toppings, and the vinaigrette dressing.

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Salad ingredients

  • 4 cups salad greens (romaine or gem lettuce is recommended) 
  • 1 cup snow peas thinly sliced.
  • 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
  • ½ cup cucumbers cut into ¼ inch half-moon slices
  • ½ mango peeled and thinly sliced
  • ½ avocado thinly sliced
  • 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, and basil are recommended) 
  • ¼ cup cashews toasted and roughly chopped
  • ½ cup puffed rice 
  • 2 fresh lime wedges (for garnish) 
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Salad recipe

Start with a base of your lettuce of choice, then add in your vegetables and fruits (yes, avocado is technically a fruit). Top everything off with cashews and puffed rice, and garnish with herbs and fresh-squeezed lime.  

Vinaigrette ingredients 

  • ¼ cup cashews toasted
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce 
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger 
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 clove freshly-grated or finely-minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
  • ½ cup sunflower oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Vinaigrette recipe

To make the dressing, add all ingredients to a blender, except for the sunflower oil and toasted sesame oil, and blend on high until everything is smooth. Keep the blender running while slowly adding in the oils and mix until combined. 

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My Final Verdict 

I was pleasantly surprised by how inexpensive the ingredients were. After dropping almost $50 to make the Bella Hadid smoothie at home, I expected the price tag of the ingredients for a Goop salad to be about the same. However, I only ended up spending about $37 for everything (except for the puffed rice because my grocery store was out of it). Full disclosure: I didn’t go the extra mile and make the vinaigrette. Instead, I took a page out of Ina Garten’s book and decided “store-bought is fine,” as she’d say. I did use a very light and fresh vinaigrette to stick with the overall vibe of this dish, though, and it paired perfectly. 


Unfortunately, that’s where the ease of making this salad ended. Sure, making a salad typically just involves chopping, but this salad requires some ingredients to be julienned (chopped very finely), which is a lot easier said than done. Luckily, I bought pre-cut carrots, but I found it difficult and time-consuming to julienne the snow peas, mango, and avocado. But to be fair, I don’t cook much, so this may be a normal amount of prep for a meal. 

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After assembling everything, the final product was a salad full of texture and bright flavors, just like the recipe promises. The bright colors and fresh ingredients make this the ideal summer salad, but the only con is that it does not have much protein. I’m all for a Meatless Monday meal, but I was pretty hungry when I made this salad for dinner, so I ended up needing to add grilled chicken to feel fully satisfied. So just a pro tip: add a protein source like salmon, chicken, or tofu for a satiating meal.

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But there were a lot of things I loved about the dish. I enjoyed using unexpected ingredients that I don’t often consume, like snow peas and mango, in a salad. I also liked that this was a lighter salad, ideal for a hot summer day compared to other salads I eat that contain heavier ingredients like cheese or hard-boiled eggs. My favorite part? The salad paired perfectly with a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc, just like Diaz promised. 

Comfort & Joy: 3 vegetarian recipes that are perfect for a summer dinner party

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Ravinder Bhogal’s decadent veggie recipes prove that embracing plant-based cuisine doesn’t mean compromising on flavors. 

If you’re hosting a dinner party this summer and struggling to come up with the perfect menu, food writer Ravinder Bhogal has done all the hard work for you.

Bhogal’s third cookbook, Comfort & Joy: Irresistible Pleasures From A Vegetarian Kitchen, is proof that vegetarian and vegan cooking is not about denying yourself – it’s about embracing decadent and delicious flavors. Her mission? To make sure that the veggie choice never feels like the second-best option.

To mark the book’s success, she has shared three recipes with BeautyLeeBar that will work perfectly as a starter, main course, and dessert when you’re entertaining friends.

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Kicking things off is creamy whipped feta topped with confit tomatoes, followed by the main event: broccoli, kale, and spinach pie, a fresh spin on Greek spanakopita made with buttered kataifi pastry.

And to finish, try Bhogal’s mango-misu – think tiramisu, but with the coffee swapped for mangoes to give this rich dessert a seriously summery taste.

Intrigued? You can find all three recipes in full below:

Whipped feta with confit tomatoes

Ravinder says: “Cold, salty feta topped with tomatoes warmed in olive oil that has been studded with aromatics until they are bursting, gooey, and have a heightened sweetness is the perfect topping for hunks of grilled bread. These tomatoes are also pretty perfect tossed together with pasta or gnocchi, which I just throw straight into the roasting tin before tossing and eating.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 400g mixed cherry tomatoes
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised
  • 3 thin strips of lemon peel
  • ½ tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 4 sprigs of oregano
  • 60ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper

For the whipped feta

  • 200g good-quality feta cheese
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 100g thick Greek yoghurt

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Cut some of the larger tomatoes in half and leave some whole, and place in a roasting tin along with the garlic and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the caster sugar, coriander seeds, chili flakes, and oregano, and then drizzle over the olive oil. Bake for 40 minutes until the tomatoes are bursting and fragrant. Cool down slightly, then discard the garlic and lemon peel.

In the meantime, put the feta cheese into a food processor along with the lemon juice and whizz until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the yogurt.

Put the whipped feta in a serving bowl and top with the warm tomatoes. Serve with slices of toasted sourdough bread.

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Broccoli, kale, and spinach kataifi pie

Ravinder says: “This pie is based on that comforting Greek favorite – spanakopita – although it is far more forgiving to make. There is no buttering and layering of delicate filo pastry: instead, the iron-rich mixture of greens and cheese is blanketed under a nest of buttered kataifi pastry, a shredded filo dough that crisps up beautifully when baked or fried. You’ll find kataifi pastry in the fridge or freezer section of Middle Eastern grocers.”

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, very finely crushed
• 200g kale, tough ribs removed and leaves roughly chopped
• 200g spinach
• 250g broccoli, boiled till tender and roughly chopped
• 4 eggs
• 60g pine nuts
• 60g currants, golden raisins or barberries
• 250g feta cheese
• 250g ricotta
• Zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1
• Handful of dill, roughly chopped
• Handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• A good grating of nutmeg
• 150g sour cream
• 250g kataifi pastry
• 60g butter, melted
• White sesame seeds, for sprinkling
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over low-medium heat, add the onion, and sauté for 10 minutes till sweet and caramelized. Add the garlic and fry again till fragrant, then add the kale and soften before adding the spinach. Once the greens are wilted, take off the heat and cool.

Transfer to a large bowl along with the broccoli and add the eggs, pine nuts, currants, feta, ricotta, lemon zest and juice, herbs, nutmeg, and sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Pull apart the strands of kataifi pastry to loosen and fluff them up. Stir the butter through the kataifi, coating it well.

Pour the spinach and ricotta filling into a deep pie dish – I use a 34cm baking dish. Gently pile the kataifi over the pie filling, sprinkle over the sesame seeds, and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is hot and set and the kataifi pastry is golden brown. Serve with a light salad.

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Mango-misu

Ravinder says: “This dessert takes the main elements of a classic tiramisu – mascarpone, boozy zabaione, and sponge fingers – but swaps out the coffee for sweet mangoes instead. It is rich, creamy, and lethally delicious yet light as a feather. It is all the sweet rapture of summer in a bowl.”

Ingredients

• 500g mascarpone cheese
• 250g crème fraîche
• Zest of 2 limes
• 2 egg whites
• 1 × 200g packet savoiardi biscuits or sponge fingers
• 6 ripe mangoes such as alphonso or kesar, peeled and sliced
• Pulp from 6 passion fruits

For the Thai basil sugar

• 30g unsweetened desiccated coconut, toasted
• Zest of 2 limes
• Bunch of Thai basil leaves
• 100g caster sugar

For the mango syrup

• 125ml mango juice
• 40ml rum
• Juice of 1 lime

For the Zabaione

• 2 egg yolks
• 50g caster sugar
• 25ml rum

Method

Make the Thai basil sugar by blitzing together all the ingredients in a food processor until you have a vibrantly green coarse sugar. Set aside until required.

To make the mango syrup, mix the mango juice, rum, and lime juice and heat gently in a small saucepan over low heat until it comes to a simmer, then set aside.

To make the zabaione, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, rum, and 1 tablespoon of water in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until pale and thick (making sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl), then set aside to cool. Whisk the mascarpone, crème fraîche, and lime zest together to combine, then fold through the zabaione. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl till soft peaks form, then fold them through the mascarpone mixture.

To assemble, briefly dip half the savoiardi in the syrup and arrange it in a 25cm serving dish. Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over and then layer over half the sliced mangoes and half the passion fruit pulp. Follow with the remaining savoiardi dipped in syrup, the mangoes, and passion fruit pulp, and finally, dollop over the remaining mascarpone mixture and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 4–6 hours.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the Thai basil sugar over the surface.

Vietnamese Vegetarian: 3 easy and delicious veggie-friendly Vietnamese favorites

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Food writer and supper club host Uyen Luu shares three recipes from her latest cookbook – and they’re perfect for speedy weekday meals. 

From bánh mì and bun cha to pho, Vietnamese cuisine is a perennial favorite when we’re on the hunt for simple, speedy meals packed with vibrant flavors.

Although many classic dishes feature fish sauce as a staple ingredient, if you’re a vegetarian, there are plenty of easy substitutions that are just as delicious – as a food writer, photographer, and supper club host Uyen Luu prove in her latest cookbook Vietnamese Vegetarian.

The follow-up to her 2020 release Vietnamese is packed full of more than 80 mouth-watering meat-free dishes – from speedy dinners like sweet potato noodles with roasted fennel and sweetheart cabbage and omelet bánh mì to dishes that are perfect for sharing, like rice paper pizza – Luu’s new book also features helpful tips and tricks on how to adapt your favorite Vietnamese recipes using alternative ingredients.

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Whether you’re a fully-fledged veggie or you’re trying to cut back on your meat consumption, there’s something to suit all taste buds – and we’ve got a first look at some of Luu’s recipes.

First up is her lemongrass tofu, which makes a great, flavorsome accompaniment to noodle salads or filling for bánh mì, while her quick and lazy drenched cold noodles are a simple, delicious way to use up the ingredients sitting in your fridge and cupboards.

And for a tasty dinner option packed with veggies, try the spiced tofu with aubergine and enoki mushrooms. The secret ingredient is ready-made spicy bean paste, a great shortcut to spicy umami flavor.

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Lemongrass tofu (Đậu hũ kho sả)

Uyen says: “I like using medium-firm tofu but understanding the correct firmness of tofu will help make your veggie dishes amazing, as tofu takes on all the fabulous flavors you throw at it. As well as being a great topping for a noodle salad bowl, this is a much-loved dish to be shared with friends and family during a meal of rice and lots of other dishes. This is also great for summer rolls or bánh mì filling, therefore a must-have in your repertoire.”

Serves 2–4

Prep time — 15 minutes

Cooking time — 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 (or 2) bird’s eye chili, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon premium quality soy sauce or Homemade Vegan Fish Sauce (see below)
  • 1½ tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
  • 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon black vinegar (or cider vinegar)
  • 300g (10½ oz) medium-firm tofu, sliced into 1 cm (½ in) batons
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 50ml (1¾ fl oz) coconut water or aloe vera juice
  • 30g (1 oz) coriander leaves or Thai basil, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
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Method

Mix the shallot, garlic, chili, and lemongrass in a large bowl, together with the soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, maple syrup, and vinegar. Add the sliced tofu to the bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, add the oil, then place the tofu batons clockwise to fry for 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Then add the rest of the marinade and the coconut water to sizzle for a further 3–5 minutes, adding more if too dry. Stir in the coriander at the last minute.

Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve immediately with steamed rice or in vermicelli noodle salad bowls.

Note: If you would like to deep-fry the tofu, fry the other ingredients in another frying pan, then combine the sauce with the tofu when the tofu is golden and crispy.

Homemade vegan fish sauce

Makes 60ml (2 fl oz)

Prep time — 10 minutes

Cooking time — 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 20–30g (1 oz) fish mint
  • 100ml (3½ fl oz) water
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bird’s eye chilli, whole
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

Method

Simmer the fish mint leaves in a saucepan over medium-high heat with the water, maple syrup, salt, garlic, and chili for about 10 minutes until it reduces by half. Discard the leaves, garlic, and chili.

To serve, add the lime juice.

This will only keep for a day before it discolors. It can still be used within a couple of days, but it will look murky, so only make what you need.

To make a dipping sauce, adjust accordingly, adding a little hot water if too salty, extra sweetness using sugar, and extra sharpness using lime juice.

Quick and lazy drenched cold noodles (Mì trộn)

Uyen says: “This is a delicious and easy way to prepare a super-fast lunch on busy days and great to use up things you have sitting around in the refrigerator and store cupboard. Make sure your garlic and shallot oil is nice and hot. I like to use cold-pressed rapeseed oil but feel free to use vegetable or sunflower oil. If cooking for a crowd, prep all the bowls and only do the final pouring of hot oil when ready to serve.”

Serves 2

Prep time — 15 minutes

Cooking time — 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100g (3½ oz) flat rice noodles, or cooked ramen noodles
  • 1 small round shallot, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons crispy chili oil (Laoganma or Pippy Eats)
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon black vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • handful of coriander leaves (around 20g (¾ oz))
  • 30g (1 oz) garlic chives (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons hot Maggi liquid seasoning (optional)
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Method

Rehydrate the noodles by placing them in a bowl or container with a lid and pouring just-boiled water from the kettle over them. Cover for at least 4 minutes. Check if they are cooked and continue to cover them if not. When done, drain in a colander and rinse with hot tap water until the water runs clear of starch. Then place a lid on the colander to dry out. This fluffs up the noodles.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, add the shallot and oil, and gently cook for about 3 minutes before turning off the heat. Between two small noodle bowls, divide the sesame seeds, crispy chili oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, black vinegar, sesame oil, coriander, and garlic chives, if using.

Going back to the pan of oil and shallots, turn the heat to high and add the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until golden, and the oil is bubbling.

Then pour the hot garlic and shallot oil into each of the prepared bowls before adding the noodles. 

Serve immediately; the fun is mixing it all up with chopsticks as you eat. Feel free to squirt over hot Maggi liquid seasoning, if using, and further dress your bowl with your favorite condiments.

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Spiced tofu with aubergine and enoki mushrooms (Cà tím sốt cay Tứ Xuyên)

Uyen says: “You can do all sorts of amazing things with aubergines (eggplants); I love aubergines! They soak up any sort of magic you throw at them. I often buy a jar of ready-made spicy bean paste when I stock up on my store cupboard supplies. It quickly helps me achieve the special, spicy umami flavors with the luxurious smoky aubergines and coat the silken tofu cubes in a lava of chili oil. This sublime dish makes its appearance at my dinner table on a regular rotation.”

Serves 4

Prep time — 10 minutes

Cooking time — 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 aubergines
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
  • 3 shallots, sliced
  • 25g (¾ oz) fresh ginger root, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, grinded (optional)
  • 100g (3½ oz) enoki mushrooms, halved lengthways if too fat
  • ½ red pepper, diced into 5 mm (¼ in) cubes
  • 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons spicy bean sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or Homemade Vegan Fish Sauce (see above)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato purée
  • 1 teaspoon fermented tofu, mashed
  • 100ml (3½ fl oz) coconut water
  • 300g (10½ oz) silken tofu, cut into cubes
  • 20g (¾ oz) coriander or Thai basil, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon pink pepper (or black pepper), crushed
  • 2 tablespoons crispy chilli oil (Laoganman) or lemongrass and chilli oil (see below)
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Method

Place the aubergines over the flame of two gas hobs, which are set to medium heat. Turn the aubergines every couple of minutes and cook until all areas are soft and almost falling apart (about 6–8 minutes). If you don’t have a gas hob, you can cook the aubergines in a fan oven at 200°C (400°F/gas 6) for 25 minutes.

Once the aubergines are cooked, scoop the flesh out into a bowl, and discard the skin. Set aside.

In a medium-hot wok or frying pan, add the oil, shallot, ginger, and garlic and fry for a couple of minutes. Mix in the Sichuan peppercorns (if using), then throw in the mushrooms and red pepper, stir-fry for a moment, then add the vegetarian oyster sauce, spicy bean sauce, soy sauce, tomato purée, and mashed, fermented tofu. Stir-fry for 2 minutes to mix in all the flavors. The pan will be dry at this point, so add the coconut water to loosen and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Add the silken tofu cubes and gently fold into the aubergine and mushroom mix. Gently fold in the coriander or Thai basil, being careful not to break too many tofu cubes. Let it sizzle for another couple of minutes.

To serve, season with crushed pepper and crispy chili oil or homemade lemongrass and chili oil.

Lemongrass and chilli oil

Makes approx. 100 ml (3½ fl oz)

Prep time — 5–15 minutes

Cooking time — 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 3 shallots
  • 4 lemongrass stalks, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
  • 2 teaspoons chilli powder or chilli flakes
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning powder
  • 2 tablespoons shop-bought crispy chilli oil
  • 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil

Method

In a grinder or small food processor, blend the garlic, shallots, and lemongrass if you don’t have a machine, finely chop by hand.

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Place in a frying pan with the cooking oil and cook over medium heat for 7–10 minutes until golden. Then reduce to low heat, and add the chili powder, salt, sugar, mushroom seasoning powder, and crispy chili oil. Mix well together, then cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, let it cool uncovered, then transfer to a sterilized jar and cover the top with the rapeseed oil.

Refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.