Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean we can’t have kabobs! This is when you bring the roasting, indoors- with my Balsamic Basil Veg Kabobs Recipe- loaded with an array of colorful veggies and a dressing that is light, fresh, and finger-licking good!
I love food you can pick up!! Like wraps, both lettuce and gluten-free….and eating off veggie kabob sticks!!
Product of the Vine: Balsamic Vinegar
I’ve always urged to use raw apple cider vinegar as the primary vinegar of choice, and I certainly use that type mostly in my recipes. But sometimes, it’s nice to change it up with some balsamic.
What is rich, sweet, tart, and readily lends itself to salad dressings, marinades and sauces? Yes, this robust product of the vine is none other than balsamic vinegar- and boy, it undeniably tastes good!!
The sweet and tart mix of balsamic vinegar pairs so well with all the veggies in this meal, tying everything together perfectly (I always try to get a little of everything in each bite!).
Does balsamic vinegar have any health benefits?
The main active compound in balsamic vinegar is acetic acid, which contains strains of probiotic bacteria [1].
Hmm…It’s not like it’s a super beneficial amount- let’s be real- but it’s nice to know that there may be some positive immune system benefits to having balsamic, with perhaps some healthy bacteria present. Also, the probiotic compounds in acetic acid could be could contribute to why some people swear balsamic vinegar—making you feel full longer and aiding healthy weight loss.
Though it may sound like it might be smelly to topically applying balsamic vinegar on your skin (acting as a natural acne remedy), it does contain both acetic acid and antimicrobial compounds, as well as antioxidants (don’t go out after this one!).
Why are some balsamic vinegar’s so friggin’ expensive??
This is because some have been aged for over 100 years, which makes true balsamic vinegar from Modena (in Northern Italy), so expensive. Thankfully, a little balsamic vinegar goes a long way.
Balsamic vinegar doesn’t have the same benefits that apple cider vinegar does, so you shouldn’t consume it regularly. Having a little of it on occasion is okay.
When selecting a brand, you get what you pay for, so expect to pay more for the best (though there are limits of course!! Organic veggies weigh in heavily to our grocery budget too). Less expensive vinegars may have sulfites added as a preservative and top brands will be labeled aceto balsamico tradizionale—indicating the traditional methods from Modena have been used in processing and aging it.
Beauty Herb: Basil
I absolutely love basil and how easily it adds a pop of flavor to any dish, including the sauce for these kabobs. Basil has an amazing aroma and unique flavor that can be used in just about anything (just like my Glowing Green Smoothie®!).
Basil is a high mineral-containing beauty herb that offers vitamins K, C, A, manganese, potassium, and magnesium—helpful in pushing toxins out of the body. It’s full of antioxidants and contains antibacterial properties.
Basil has anti-microbial activity which fights against a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, molds and viruses, being a great immune-booster (particularly when heading into cooler months).
Basil contains powerful essential oils, such as, eugenol, citronellol and linalool. These are enzyme-inhibiting oils that help in lowering inflammation, being an excellent anti-inflammatory.
Basil also produces a detoxifying enzyme which keeps out liver cleansed and in top function, aiding in removing unwanted waste for our gut.
Try using this herb more often if you haven’t already. You will love the flavor and will be giving your body some amazing and powerful benefits!
Beauty Veggies
In order to make ourselves the healthiest and naturally beautiful is by supporting our body’s efforts to stay at its perfect, slightly alkaline pH by making the best food choices in our day-to-day life—striving to be conscious of which foods will leave an alkaline residue and which leaves an acidic residue in our body.
Alkaline pH is the balance between alkalinity and acidity is referred to as pH (“power of hydrogen”), which reflects the concentration of hydrogen ions in any give situation. The pH scale ranges from totally acidic (at 0.00), to totally alkaline (14.0), making 7.0 neutral. The higher the pH number of something over 7.0, the more alkaline it is (I go into this topic in greater detail in the Beauty Detox Solution book).
All foods leave either an alkaline or an acidic residue in the bloodstream, and how our body breaks down food is critical in what residue that food leaves behind. The foods that have the most benefit and residue are very alkaline friendly foods ranging from ripe fruits, to sprouts, to greens.
In this recipe I’ve chosen to add some crunchy red peppers, zucchini, fresh red onion, mushrooms and eggplant—keeping us full and content, while keeping our alkaline pH levels at their optimum best.
Get creative and choose other veggies according to the season, drizzling this amazing sauce over top and reaping all of the benefits!
Check out the full recipe…
Balsamic Basil Veg Kabobs Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 red onion
- 1 green zucchini
- 1 yellow zucchini
- 12 Button mushrooms
- 1 eggplant
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 cups water
- Sauce
- ⅔ cup Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp of coconut nectar or maple syrup
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Chop all veggies into ¼ inch thick slices and place on wooden skewer
- For dressing, whisk together balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, and basil together.
- Brush sauce mixture onto veggie skewers and let marinate overnight or for at least 10 minutes.
- While skewers are marinating, add 1 cup of wild rice to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, the cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Place skewers into oven on baking sheet and roast until tender, about 10-12 minutes
- Serve over bed of wild rice.
Let me know what your favorite pasta dish is, and don’t forget to add this recipe to your Dinner Recipes Pinterest Board!
In love and gut health :),
Kimberly
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