Whole Foods is on a mission. In addition to wresting control of Americans' grocery shopping from the likes of uncouth competitors like Publix and Ralph's, it is also all about healthful eats. And the Health Starts Here (HSH) program is designed to promote just that.
HSH is the chain's in-store labeling system that identifies foods as having the following four elements: they're whole foods (pure and unprocessed), they're plant-strong (self-explanatory), they have healthful fats (no extracted oils or processed fats), and they're nutrient dense. To push the HSH agenda in the prepared-foods section, Whole Foods hosted a Go for the Green cooking contest among staff members from a variety of Florida stores. The winner would score $500, and all the best recipes would snag a spot in the prepared-foods case.
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Last week, Short Order helped judge the competition by tasting some seriously healthful eats at the Wellington outpost. The final four included recipes from across the region, including Fort Lauderdale.
The winner was a mango crunch detox salad, and you can re-create it with the recipe below. Also find details on the three other top contenders.
Mango Crunch Detox Salad
Ingredients (approximately two servings)
- Power Green Salad Mix (Swiss Chard, Kale, Spinach Mix)
- 1 diced mango
- 1/3 Cups Toasted Almonds
- 1/4 cups chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cups lime juice
- 1/8 cup honey
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions:
Chop Power Green mix into bite-size pieces. Add mango chunks and almonds. Mix until evenly distributed. Mix lime juice, honey, cilantro, and salt in a cup until honey and lime juice are well blended. Add to salad mixture and toss until evenly distributed.
Roasted Barley Salad With Apples and Strawberries
Ingredients
- ¼ cup barley
- 1 medium sized apple
- 1 tbsp chopped basil
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp honey
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp shredded kale
- 2 tbsp roasted melon seeds
- ½ cup sliced thin strawberries
- 3 tbsp apple juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Simmer Barley in 2 cups of water for 45 minutes. Drain and roast lightly. Dice apples. Toast melon seeds lightly and set aside. In bowl, mix diced apple, cooked barley, strawberries, and remaining ingredients -- kale, honey, balsamic vinegar, apple juice, basil, parsley, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir nicely. Top salad with roasted melon seeds. Stir lightly and refrigerate. Serve chilled.
Tahini-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients (approximately two servings)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 oz. turmeric
- 1/3 oz. Bragg's Liquid Aminos
- 2/3 oz. garam masala
- 1/8 cup dried pumpkin seeds
- 1/8 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cups coconut water
- 1/4 cups tahini
- 1/8 cup peeled garlic
- 1/8 cup dried apple chop
- 1/2 pounds red onion sliced into strips
- 1/2 pounds cauliflower florets
- 1/2 pounds cubed sweet potatoes
- 1/8 bunch green onions sliced on a bias
- 1/8 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions:
For sauce: Mix tahini, yeast, liquid aminos, and turmeric and add enough water to create consistency of cold, heavy cream.
Stuffed Zucchini With Quinoa
Main Ingredients
- 3 zucchini, halved (makes 6 pieces)
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, julienne
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tbsp cut scallion
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth, 365 low sodium
Red Pepper Coulee Ingredients:
- Juice from half of a fresh lemon
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth 365 low sodium
- 18 oz. Roasted red Pepper
- Fresh thyme (garnish)
- Balsamic vinegar reduction (cooled)
Instructions:
1. Cut zucchini in half -- place on sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until tender on sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Scoop out the zucchini and rough chop to make a "boat."
4. In a sauté pan on medium-high heat, add diced onion, garlic, thyme, and sage and vegetable broth. Sauté until onions are wilted (2-3 min); then add the rough-cut zucchini and quinoa. Sauté until ingredients are mixed well and no broth is visible. Turn off the flame, add scallions, and mix gently.
5. Fill the zucchini boats with mixture.
6. Garnish with balsamic reduction, roasted red pepper, and fresh thyme.
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