Eat green with some delicious treats this month! Registered Dietitian Annessa Chumbley shares some plant-based recipes the entire family is sure to love.

Go Green with Avocados from Mexico
Avocados are a heart healthy fruit that contributes good fats! They are also nutrient-dense and contain nearly 20 vitamins, minerals along with plant nutrients, so include them as often as you can. For more great recipes and ideas, visit AvocadosfromMexico.com.

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

6 ounces creamy cashew milk
a small frozen ripe banana
2 tablespoons freshly scooped avocado (try to get the super green part close to the peel)
a small handful spinach
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon shaved dark chocolate
1 fresh mint leaf (or 1/8 teaspoon mint extract, or 1 drop of peppermint essential oil)

1. In a high-powered blender, add the cashew milk, banana, scoops of avocado, spinach and protein powder. Blend on high. A key to making this smoothie successful is making sure the spinach is fully blended in – you should not be able to see any individual spinach leaves.

Avocado Verde Sauce
1/2 creamy ripe avocado
1 1/2 cups verde salsa
fresh cilantro, optional

Blend all ingredients into a mini food processor. Use as a sauce on a grain bowl, on sheet pan nachos, as a dip or dressing. It’s delicious!

Meatless Monday with Sweet Earth
Sweet Earth is a plant-based brand that has DELICIOUS flavors and nutritious ingredients. This spring, treat your family to a fun Nacho-Sheet Pan Dinner using Sweet Earth’s Awesome Grounds, a plant-based meat alternative that has the texture just like ground beef. Also, have a themed night with a “Burger Bar”, and set out everyone’s favorite toppings to load up! Meatless Monday has never been tastier! Find out more at SweetEarthFoods.com

About Sweet Earth Foods:
• The Fresh Face in Frozen! Modern Vegan & vegetarian meals for your inner foodie.
• Sweet Earth Foods handcrafts award-winning, globally-inspired, plant-centric meals steeped in flavor and made from wholesome ingredients. Delicious yet nutritious, each meal is packed with Protein, Fiber and Vitamins to get you through your day. Choose from a wide variety of products like Entrée Bowls, Burritos, Pizzas and more!
• The mission of Sweet Earth is to honor and sustain the land, create a curious mind and palate, sustain a healthy body.
• This brand has gotten TONS of awards. You know I’m a fan of their breakfast burritos….they sustained my first 3 months of pregnancy because the protein lover’s breakfast burrito is one of the only things i ate 🙂

All the above items are available at Krogers, Walmarts & Whole Foods in Indianapolis. To learn more, visit www.sweetearthfoods.com.

Stock Your Freezer with Hassle-Free Snacks

Farm Rich
Nobody knows how to stock a freezer for fun better than Farm Rich. From their famous Mozzarella Sticks to Crispy Dill Pickles and, of course, Chicken Bites and Meatballs, they have an entire lineup of easy food favorites. Available at local grocery stores, Farm Rich frozen snacks and apps are low stress to prep, made with wholesome ingredients and give you a variety of fun, comforting food options to eat when you want, how you want.

Meatball Pizza Cups
(aka Pizza Cupcakes)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, salt, and garlic.
3. Divide pizza dough into 12 equal pieces (approximately 1 ounce each). Lightly oil your hands and stretch out to form 3-inch circles.
4. Lightly spray 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick spray. Press each circle into the muffin tin cups and brush butter/garlic mixture onto the dough.
5. Place about 1 teaspoon of marinara sauce into bottom of the cups and add 1 Farm Rich Meatball.
6. Bake until dough is fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes or cups are lightly browned. Top with a pinch of parmesan and sprinkling of chopped parsley.
   Serve with remaining warmed marinara sauce.

Fruits from Chile

Right now they come to us from the country of Chile, and are sweet, juicy, and perfect for at-home snacking! Grapes are a rich, natural source of polyphenols, which protect the health and function of our cells. A ¾ cup of grapes contains just 90 calories Grapes are also a good source of vitamin K, copper, and many of the B vitamins. Plus, regular grape consumption may play a role in eye health by protecting the retina from deterioration.

Frozen Grape Sundae Bar
Lift your family’s spirits by making a yummy and healthy dessert – a frozen grape sundae bar! Place a mix of red, green, and black grapes in the freezer until completely frozen. Then scoop into individual serving cups, and top with drippy almond butter, honey, granola, whipped cream….or whatever other delicious topping you can think of!

Grape Pasta Salad

Kosher salt
8 ounces broccoli florets
12 ounces pasta, preferably fusilli or butterfly
1 shallot, peeled and minced (about ¼ cup)
juice and zest from one lemon
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 loosely packed cups grated Parmesan, divided: 1 cup for the dressing + 1/2 cup for serving
freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces red Chilean grapes, cut into halves or quarters
6 ounces shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup feta
flaky sea salt
1 handful Italian parsley leaves, torn

Fill a stock pot with water and 3 tablespoons kosher salt, bring to a boil. Blanch broccoli florets for a minute or two, until they are vibrant green and barely tender. Scoop broccoli from hot water into an ice bath.
Bring stock pot water back to a boil and cook the pasta to your liking. Strain pasta and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, make your dressing by combining shallot, lemon juice and zest, sherry vinegar, olive oil, 1 cup Parmesan, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ample freshly ground black pepper. Whisk and set aside.
Assemble salad components in a large bowl: pasta, broccoli, grapes, feta and chicken. Pour on dressing and toss thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional flaky salt, black pepper, and Parmesan, as desired. Scatter on parsley.

Facebook: Annessa Chumbley, RD
www.AnnessaRD.com