Green Salad (Cucumber, Zucchini, Avocado) with Plum Sweet & Spicy Dressing

The spring is finally here and I feel like eating more vegetables, fresh fruits and berries. I start mornings with a glass of freshly made juice and my lunch becomes lighter and healthier. I present this special salad which is good for any diet. It has few ingredients but many flavors. I use all organic vegetables and highly recommend the same in your cooking. The dressing is slightly sweet with a touch of cayenne pepper, but you may change your ingredients if you’d like. My husband had this salad with broiled salmon for dinner and he was very pleased. Enjoy these simple, but nutritious recipes.

Kale, Avocado, Flaxseed Oil Pesto (Dairy free, Vegan, Gluten free)

My kale pesto made with an avocado and flaxseed oil. It took me only 5 minutes to prepare this tasty sauce. If you don't have pine nuts, you may use walnuts. Also, feel free to substitute olive oil for the flaxseed oil. This pesto recipe is vegan, dairy free and gluten free.

Homemade Healthy Winter Jello

Recently I had a stomach virus and I was in bed for a few days, yuck :( As soon as I started feeling a bit better I started craving a jello. I was dying to taste a fruity, berry or orange cool dessert and asked my husband to get me some as soon as possible. He rushed to the store and brought me four-pack of fruit jello. To tell you the truth, I do not buy things like desserts and puddings. You know me, I cook everything myself from scratch and use ingredients as natural and as organic as possible. But in the situation when you are sick and you want something, it does not matter what you get, because it has be now.

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cake with Almonds (no flour)

When I hear about mix of ricotta cheese with lemon, I start drooling-))  This cake has everything and more: it is flour-less with almond meal, so you don't have to feel guilty after a few slices. It is very moist and not too sweet. It is also lemony and has crunchy top. You can not ask for anything else, it is a perfection itself! I love to have slice of this cake for breakfast with cup of fresh brewed coffee. Bake it the night before so in the morning you have a great treat to start your day.

Russian Monday:"Golubtsy" Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed cabbage or golubtsy (“go-lub-tzy”) in Russian is a dish of Middle Eastern as well as European cuisine. This name usually refers to ground beef mixed with boiled rice or buckwheat wrapped in cabbage leaves. However, there are many varieties of fillings and the dish is popular in a many countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Balkan countries, Moldova, Russian, Turkey, and Ukraine etc.