Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. It’s still possible to indulge in your favorite foods, while nourishing your body at the same time. Here we share clean versions of delicious recipes that will leave you feeling and looking incredible and not to mention, insanely satisfied!

Name: Jess Damuck

Instagram: @jessdamuck 

Tell us about yourself: I’m Jess. I live in Los Angeles with my partner Ben and our two small dogs. I’ve worked with Martha Stewart for over a decade and recently released my first cookbook, Salad Freak. I eat mostly vegetables and am trying to grow as many as I can by myself, which so far, is a huge experiment that has been extremely relaxing but not always successful. If I’m not cooking, I’m probably listening to music, making music, or trying to find the perfect piece of furniture for our new home, which it turns out, can take a lifetime. 

Favorite dish to serve at a dinner party: Anything you need to eat with your hands. Seeded challah with my special fennel pollen honey  butter, Crudités with dip

Favorite skin food ingredient and why: water! I eat plenty of vegetables but making sure I’m hydrated throughout the day is what I think makes the biggest difference. 

Top three Instagram accounts for inspiration: 

@sightunseen, @sallybreer, @yasminemei

Must-have cookbook: Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden 

Favorite tableware brand/items: HAY, Mondays Ceramics, SUAY LA napkins, 

Dinner ambiance or vibe when throwing a party: Backyard hang, great music, my partner Ben pouring wine while I finish up cooking. Lots of salads. Food so good it’s gone too fast. Dessert and sitting soft afterwards with something warm to drink. 

Three things you always keep in your refrigerator: Took Chico, Persian cucumbers, and lemons 

Favorite healthy treat: Does a cup of soba cha and two pieces of dark chocolate every night before bed count? 

Recipe: Plums and Endive with Hazelnuts and Gouda 

Fall and winter is not all about apples and pears. Deep purple-fleshed, juicy, tart, and sweet plums can be found well into fall and make the perfect complement to the jewel-toned, bitter leaves of the season.

PRODUCE

2 heads red endive or Treviso, leaves separated

2 black plums, thinly sliced

DAIRY

¼ pound (115 g) aged Gouda cheese

PANTRY

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (70 g) hazelnuts, toasted 

MAKE THE MAPLE VINAIGRETTE: In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon grainy mustard. and 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Whisk until combined and season with salt and pepper.

PREP: Separate the leaves of 2 heads endive and tear into bite-size pieces; wash and spin dry. Thinly slice 2 plums.

ASSEMBLE AND SERVE: Add the plums and endive to the dressing and toss to combine. Arrange the endive and plums on plates or a platter, sprinkle ½ cup (70 g) toasted hazelnuts on top, and shave a very generous amount of Gouda with a Y-peeler over everything. Finish with a little fresh pepper.

Styling Tip

Whenever I can, I try to find monochromatic ingredients to add drama and visual appeal to really simple salads like this one; they elevate the whole table. But if you can’t find a purple chicory or red-fleshed plum, this recipe will taste just as good