Did you know that I am not normal? And maybe you aren’t either!

And I mean that in a good way.

I’m not normal in the sense that I want to be the best version of the healthiest me I can be. I am constantly looking for ways to challenge myself to become better.

Sadly, that's not normal.

Most people just coast through life not wanting to put in the time or effort to be the best.

Unfortunately, most people coast through life accepting their health as unchangeable. They do what is typical in our society - eat too much, sit too long, go for the easy way out.

I enjoy physical activity! I prep food every week. I care what goes into my body. And I'm guessing but I probably eat more than the average person when it comes to vegetables.

I don't have any hard data on this, but just by talking with hundreds of people, I would guess the average person consumes less than two servings of vegetables per day.

And most of those are the same ones, over and over again.

A lot of people just don't know what or how to cook certain foods.

My biggest challenge doing this over the computer is that while I can tell you all about a certain vegetable, I can show you what it looks like, I can even tell you what is great about a certain veggie... until I can get you to experience it, it’s just to ‘weird’ to even think about.

I’m going to introduce you to jicama today. Just to say it seems a bit odd, but think of the first letter as being an “H”. It looks a bit like an odd shaped potato. In fact you would peel it like a potato and the inside reminds me of a white potato. BUT the similarities stop there. It tastes different, in fact ,you can eat it raw or cooked.

Jashbrowns are a favorite way to cook jicama for rockstar Jennifer.

I peel the jicama, which is a root vegetable, and then slice it into thin French fry shapes. I add these to a taco salad so that I have crunch without a taco shell. My kids love it this way too.

Check out this recipe highlighting jicama paired with cucumbers as a side dish.

Jicama Cucumber Salad with Chili Dressing

A simple concept - eat five servings of vegetables every day. I’m hoping I’ve given you enough education so that jicama doesn’t feel so weird when thinking of vegetables. By adding jicama to your grocery list, you can up your vegetable count.

To your best health,
Coach Nancy

Rock stars Deb and Adam have been talking up a new salad they created for months. They practically handed me all the ingredients one day so I could make this salad. It was delicious just as they said. Why, oh why, did it take me so long? I am grateful I made it before the summer was over. This is going to be hit for picnics.

D.A. Summer Salad

• 2 bags Brussels sprouts & kale mixture from Trader Joe's
• Double recipe of Creamy Italian Dressing (see below for single recipe)

Mix, chill, and serve. Yep, it's that easy.

If you don't have access to a Trader Joe's, this will take a bit longer. You can also be creative as this recipe will work wonderfully with coleslaw mix, riced broccoli, or any blend of greens. You'll need about 6 cups of greens.

• 4 cups sliced Brussels sprouts (sliced as if you were making coleslaw)
• 2 cups very thinly sliced kale
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
• Double recipe of Creamy Italian Dressing (see below for single recipe)

Creamy Italian Dressing

• 2 tbsp homemade mayo (recipe below)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp Italian herbs
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients in a blender. If mixture is too thick, add either vinegar or water. Remember, your dressing will get slightly more liquidy as you toss it with your salad.

Homemade Mayo

• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cup light olive oil

Place egg, dry mustard, salt and lemon juice in the blender. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and whirl until well mixed. Slowly incorporate the remaining olive oil. Drizzle it in with as small a stream as possible. You'll hear it start to emulsify. Don't rush this. Be patient. Continue to blend until the oil is incorporated and your mayo is light and fluffy.

On a hot summer day, this is a dish that leaves the oven off, yet it also delivers a great source of protein, loads of veggies, and is complimented with a healthy fat in the avocado. It’s a win-win. While easy to make, this dish is also very adaptable. You can add thinly sliced radishes, sprinkle on chopped green onions, or add crunchy jicama fries on the side.

Super Simple Tuna Salad

• 1 can tuna, drained
• ½ cup sliced tomato (I use cherry tomatoes)
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• ½ cup diced cucumber
• ½ an avocado, mashed with a fork
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pepper, to taste
• Paprika, to taste

Stir all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until well combined. I serve this salad on top of a bed of greens but it is so yummy it can be eaten alone.

Make one for dinner tonight!

Salad dressing are super easy to make. Since you don’t use large amounts, you don’t have to make it every day.

The easiest is to slice a lemon in wedges and squeeze one slice on your salad. Great flavor!

Or, you can try one of these more traditional salad dressings.

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (for a real garlic flavor – 2 garlic cloves, minced)

Combine all ingredients, shake together, and voilà!

If you have more time...

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 entire bulb of garlic (roast in the oven for an hour and cool, then squish the contents into your salad dressing container)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Mix everything together - super yummy!

Caesar Dressing

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine everything, shake well, and serve.

To your best health,
Coach Nancy

This salad will get you ready for the warmer weather. It's the perfect dish for a summer barbecue. It's excellent with grilled shrimp or chicken, and you can also place this salad on top of lettuce greens.

Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Dressing

by Coach Nancy

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 medium seedless watermelon, cubed
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• Black pepper, to taste

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spread two-thirds of the watermelon on a serving platter. Top with red onion and mint, then season with pepper. Pour dressing over salad and garnish with remaining watermelon cubes.

This recipe is really excellent. I love roasted beets. They are sweeter making them this way than any other way of cooking beets. Combining them with a crisp green beans and a tangy vinegar dressing is superb. As a kid I would have turned my nose up at this. I'm glad I've expanded my horizons to include these onto my plate. I'm grateful my mom didn't give up trying to find a way to get me to taste them.

Beets and Beans 

1 thinly sliced red onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of fresh ground pepper

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1 large beet

​

Scrub and quarter beet; wrap in foil and roast at 450 for about 30 minutes until tender. Place onion in a bowl, cover with boiling water, let stand 15 minutes.

Blanch green beans in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes.; plunge into cold water. Drain onions, toss with salt, pepper and vinegar; set aside. Skin and slice cooled beets.

​For the Dressing. 

Whisk together:

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Now: drain onions and squeeze dry. Toss half with beets, other half with beans. Arrange the beets and beans on a serving platter--very lovely, the contrast!--Pour dressing over veggies, let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To make this a complete meal, I like to make Perfectly Simple Salmon.

To turn this into a salad: lay the beets and beans on top of a bed of baby spinach. Top with the rest of the dressing. ​