HEART HEALTHY
Learn More & Connect with Chef AJ
Explore Chef AJ’s wealth of resources at www.ChefAJ.com, where you’ll find a variety of plant-based recipes, heart-healthy meal ideas, and online courses to deepen your cooking and nutrition knowledge.
Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-exclusive diet for over 45 years. As a celebrated author, speaker, and culinary expert, she’s dedicated to helping others achieve optimal health through whole foods, with no added oils, sugars, or salts.
Chef AJ was the host of Healthy Living with CHEF AJ, which aired on Foody TV, and she’s the author of four bestselling books: The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss, Own Your Health, The 10th Anniversary Edition of Unprocessed, and her latest release, Sweet Indulgence Each of these books has received glowing endorsements from top plant-based figures.
In addition to her books, Chef AJ was the Executive Pastry Chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles, known for her sugar, oil, salt, and gluten-free desserts. She also broadcasts CHEF AJ LIVE! on YouTube, where she shares cooking tips, live interviews, and wellness advice. As the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, she has helped hundreds transform their health and lifestyle. In 2018 she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame.
Visit www.ChefAJ.com to discover more of Chef AJ’s content, get inspired by her recipes, and access her plant-based living tools!
INGREDIENTS:
PizzaKale
2-10-ounce bags Tuscan kale (or 20 ounces of your favorite kale)
1-12-ounce bag frozen artichoke hearts
1- 3-ounce bag oil-free sun-dried tomatoes (approximately ¾ of a cup)
1-ounce fresh peeled garlic cloves, finely chopped (approximately ¼ cup)
1 cup water
1 cup fresh basil, cut into long thin strips
24 oil-free Kalamata olives, cut in half
PREPARATION:
Place all ingredients except for the fresh basil and olives into an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Set on high pressure for zero minutes. It will take several minutes to achieve desired pressure, and once it reaches that level, it’s fully cooked Release pressure immediately and stir in the fresh basil and olives, if using. Drizzle with a good quality reduced balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with Enlightened Faux Parmesan, if desired.
INGREDIENTS:
ThumbprintCookies
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
6 ounces pitted dates (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
fruit sweetened jam in your favorite flavor
PREPARATION:
Place the oats and vanilla bean powder in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade and process into a flour-like consistency Add dates and process until a ball forms, adding a few more dates if necessary. Divide into 8 pieces, roll into balls, and flatten with your hand. Using your fingertips, build up the sides of each cookie so you will have an indentation to hold the jam Fill each cookie with the jam of your choice Bake for 5 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or with a nonstick silicone baking mat. Let cool completely.
CHEF’S TIP:
If you’d rather not buy commercial fruit-sweetened jam, simply use Chia Jam.
QuinoaSaladwithCurrants, Pistachios,andPomegranate
INGREDIENTS:
1 16-ounce box quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 cup lime juice, plus zest if using fresh limes
2 ounces finely chopped scallions
2 ounces finely chopped Italian parsley
2 ounces finely chopped mint
2 cups dried currants
8 ounces raw pistachios
1 cup pomegranate seeds
PREPARATION:
CHEF’S TIP:
Try substituting orange juice and orange zest for the lime or unsweetened cherries for the currants. For a reduced-fat version, omit the nuts For a lower-calorie option, substitute 2 cups fresh blueberries for the dried currants.
Start by cooking the quinoa according to the package directions. Once it’s cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and allow it to cool. Meanwhile, juice and zest the limes if you ’ re using fresh limes, and pour the lime juice over the cooled quinoa.
Next, add the finely chopped scallions, parsley, mint, dried currants, raw pistachios, and pomegranate seeds to the bowl. Mix everything together well, ensuring that all the flavors are evenly distributed. Chill the salad before serving to let the flavors meld together.
NutrientRichChocolateSmoothie
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
1/2 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
6 ounces baby spinach (about 10 cups)
1 large, very ripe banana, frozen (about 1/2 cup)
1⁄4 cup Date Paste (page 259), or more to taste
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups frozen blueberries (about 12 ounces)
1 Tablespoon flax or chia seeds (optional)
PREPARATION:
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth.
CHEF’S TIP:
Baby spinach has a mild flavor and you won’t be able to taste it. Feel free to substitute carob powder for the cocoa powder
INGREDIENTS:
Dressing
HailtotheKaleSalad
1 cup raw almond butter, unsweetened and unsalted
1 cup coconut water or plain water
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic
1 inch (or ½ ounce) fresh ginger
2 tbsp low-sodium tamari
4 pitted dates, soaked in water if not soft
½ tsp red chile flakes
PREPARATION:
Salad
24 ounces kale, about two bunches seeds or chopped nuts for garnish
In a high-powered blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Remove the large, thick stems from the kale. Finely chop the kale leaves and place in a large bowl. Pour two cups of the dressing over the kale and massage the dressing into the kale with your hands. Feel free to use food service gloves to do this. Sprinkle with nuts or seeds before serving, if desired Refrigerate any unused dressing
INGREDIENTS:
OvernightMuesli
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk
1 large apple, cored and grated
2 tablespoon dried currants or raisins
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or more to taste
PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Eat immediately or refrigerate and enjoy the next day. This will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator Feel free to substitute other fruits for the apple, such as banana, peach, pear, or pomegranate arils. If it is still not sweet enough for you, you can add unsweetened apple juice in place of some or all the plant milk.
CHEF’S TIP:
Any leftovers can be made into Apple Jack gRAWnola.
BlueberryMill-OatMuffins
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Japanese sweet potatoes, roasted and mashed
2 large very ripe bananas
3 cups gluten-free oats
1 cup millet, ground
½ tsp vanilla powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cardamom
16 ounces frozen wild blueberries
PREPARATION:
CHEF’S TIP:
Consider investing in a silicone muffin pan. It’s a lifesaver for baking without oil. If you cool the muffins completely before removing them from the pan, they come out easily!.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients together except for the frozen blueberries until well combined Gently fold in the blueberries Evenly distribute the batter into twelve muffins, using a silicone muffin pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from the muffin pan.
KaleHash
INGREDIENTS:
1 large sweet onion, chopped
6 gloves of garlic, finely chopped, cubed
6 cups of Yukon Gold potatoes
1 10-ounces bag Trader Joe’s Tuscan
Kale, shredded
1 tablespoon SMOKED paprika
Benson’s Table Tasty (or your favorite salt-free seasoning), to taste
PREPARATION:
CHEF’S TIP:
You can use cooked and cooled sweet potatoes for a delicious variation or add a 3-ounces bag of sundried tomatoes
Steam potatoes, cool, chill, and cut into cubes. Dry sauté the onion until nicely browned, adding water a tablespoon at a time if necessary Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two. Add the potatoes and dry seasoning and cook until nicely browned. If they stick to the pan, add water a tablespoon at a time. Add the shredded kale and cook briefly until al dente.
SweetPotatoChiliwithKale
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds of sweet potatoes, diced (no need to peel if organic)
1 large red onion (approximately 10 ounces), finely chopped
2 15-ounces cans kidney beans or 3 cups cooked beans
2 red bell peppers, seeded and finely diced
2 14 5-ounces cans Muir Glen Salt-Free Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon salt-free chili powder
2 teaspoon SMOKED paprika (different that regular paprika)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or more to taste)
8 ounces of Lacinato kale, finely shredded like cabbage for coleslaw
3 cups orange juice
PREPARATION:
Place all ingredients except for the kale in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Release pressure and stir in the kale. Alternatively, place all ingredients in an slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours
You can watch me make this on Episode 1 of Healthy Living with Chef AJ.
LipSmackingMouthwateringKale
INGREDIENTS:
10 oz. of chopped onions (about 3 cups)
10 oz. of sliced mushrooms (about 5 cups)
10 oz. of Tuscan kale, shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 12 cups)
4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced or put through a garlic press, more or less to taste
PREPARATION:
CHEF’S TIP:
A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice is always a wonderful way to finish any dish that contains greens, as is a drizzle of a good quality reduced balsamic vinegar like Bema and Pa’s Smoke Infused, Garlic Cilantro or White Garlic
In a large sauté pan, water sauté or dry sauté your onion, depending on your cookware, until translucent and nicely browned. I prefer to take my time so that the onion becomes caramelized and becomes very sweet. Add the garlic and then the mushrooms and cook until they become limp and nicely browned and all the water has evaporated Depending on your cookware, you may need to add some liquid (water or no-sodium veggie broth) a tablespoon at a time so that your ingredients don’t stick to the pan. Remember to stir frequently. Add the kale and cook until it reaches your desired level of doneness. I prefer it less cooked so it retains some of its crispness and its bright green color If your sauté pan has a lid, you can cover it after you add the kale and cook it that way. Enjoy immediately.