Taco Rice

1 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
3-4 cups brown rice cooked (1 cup uncooked)
1 cup frozen corn
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Turn heat to low and stir occasionally until warmed.

This makes a good side on its own or you can put it in your tacos or burritos!

Cranberry Orange Ice Cream

1.5 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
4T orange juice concentrate
2 T water
2T brown sugar

1T vanilla
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar

Heat cranberries through brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, squishing the cranberries as you stir. Cool completely (to speed cooling, pour into a shallow pan and place in fridge for 30 min).

Mix vanilla-sugar in a bowl until sugar is mostly dissolved. Pour into ice cream maker along with the cranberry mixture. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Wheat Berry & Black Bean Vegetarian Chili

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper,chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
3 cups roughly chopped kale
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries (recipe follows)
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, diced (optional but recommended)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional but recommended)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, kale, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro. This freezes well.

Cooked Wheat Berries:
1 cup hard red winter-wheat berries
3.5 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones. Rinse well under cool running water. Place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse.
(Make-ahead tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)


6 servings: about 1 1/2 cups each
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour (or 40 min if wheat berries are made ahead of time)

Nutrition:
Per serving: 386 calories; 11 g fat ( 1 g sat , 7 g mono ); 61 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 15 g fiber; 703 mg sodium; 311 mg potassium.

{adapted from Eating Well}

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

(makes 18-20 bites)

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

{note} When I made these, they were a bit dry. If you have that problem (which probably has t do with your peanut butter, as I always pour the oil off of my new jars of PB), just add more PB and honey until it will hold together.

*original recipe on smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com

Light Baked Potato Soup

{from Cooking Light}

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.
3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.

Mushroom Casserole

Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese or sour cream if you prefer.


1 pound (2 containers) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy

Broccoli and Tortellni Salad

6 slices of bacon
20oz fresh cheese tortellini
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp cider vinegar
3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 red onion, finely chopped

Cook bacon, drain, crumble and set aside.

Cook tortellini in lightly salted water for 8-10 min or until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.

In a small bowl, combine mayo, sugar and vinegar to make dressing.

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, tortellini, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars

{from Delicious Living, Feb 2011}

"With a classic macaroon texture, these egg-, dairy- and gluten-free bars are an adult chocolate indulgence. Kids, of course, will love them too."

2.5 C rolled oats
1 C almond meal/flour
1 C unsweetened shredded coconut (I used a finely shredded variety)
1/3 C cocoa powder
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C agave nectar (or honey)
1/2 C sugar
1 C bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 275 deg. F. Combine oats, almond meal, coconut and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Mix well.

Combine coconut oil, agave nectar (or honey) and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot (not boiling). Pour over oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips, quickly but thoroughly (they will melt).

Press mixture into an ungreased 8x8 pan and bake for 20 min. Remove from oven and cool completely. Cut into 24 small pieces.

[per serving] 184 cal, 12g fat (1g mono, 2g poly, 7g sat), 0mg chol, 3g protein, 2g fiber, 3mg sodium

Alton Brown's Guacamole

3 avocados, smashed
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes w/o seeds, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic minced

Combine and enjoy.

Greek Style Garbanzo Salad

1.5 cups cooked garbanzo beans (1 can), drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 Tbs rice vinegar or ceider vinegar
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Let marinate at room temperature or several hours, then refrigerate.

5 servings
130 cal (35 cal from fat)

4g fat
1g saturated fat
0g trans fat
0mg cholesterol
65mg sodium
19g carbohydrates
4g fiber
4g sugar
5g protein

6% vit A
35% vit C
4% calcium
10% iron

Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup

3 T olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 C (32 oz) marinara sauce
28oz chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can cannellini or other white beans
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 C small pasta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 2-5 min. Add marinara sauce, broth, beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 min, or until pasta is tender.

Ravioli with Sweet Potatoes, Mustard Greens and Country Ham

for the dough
1.75-2 cups all-purpose flour (or you can go up to half whole wheat)
2 extra large eggs
1/2 tsp olive oil
water as needed

for the filling
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 Tbs sliced chives
1/2 Tbs chopped parsley

the rest
1 cup coarsely chopped mustard greens (or kale, chard, etc)
1 Tbs bacon fat or olive oil
1 ounce country ham or prosciutto, cut into strips
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving


Mound flour on a large wooden board or marble slab to forma peak with a well in the center. Place eggs and oil in the well and, using a fork, mix them together, gradually bringing in a little flour from the sides. Continue adding flour gradually until the dough comes together and the flour is incorporated. Add water by wetting your hands, as needed, to get a workable dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5-7 min- it will still be a little sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30-60 min.

Combine potatoes. ricotta and herbs in a bowl, stirring well to blend.

Remove dough from fridge and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll the dough out very thin, using a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Cut the dough into 4" squares and fill place 1 tsp of filling on each. wet the edges of the square adn fold over, pressing seams closed firmly.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbs of bacon fat or oil. Add chopped greens and ham and cook just until the greens wilt. Remove from heat.

Cook ravioli in salted water, drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. Return ravioli and water to the pot. Add the butter, the greens mix, salt, pepper and cheese. Toss until butter is melted. Serve with extra cheese.

Serves 6.

Note: you can freeze the uncooked ravioli by putting them in a single layer on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Once frozen, transfer to a container for storage. Cook, without thawing, as directed above.

Napa Cabbage Salad

Dressing
2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs tamari
1 tea olive or grape seed oil
1/2 tea grated, peeled fresh ginger
dash of ground red pepper

Slaw
4 cups (1/4 inch) slices napa cabbage
1/2 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup julienne-cut peeled jicama
1/4 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
2 tbs thinly sliced green onions
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro

Combine dressing ingredients, stir with whisk
Mix veggies and stir in dressing.  Chill 30 minutes

Alternate dressing
2 tea grated orange rind
3 tbs orange juice
1 tbs mirin or slightly sweet white wine (Riesling?)
1 tbs cilantro
1 tea minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 tea rice vinegar
1 1/2 tea dark sesame oil (I used grape seed oil because it's what I had.  walnut oil might not be bad either)
1 tea tamari
1/4 tea salt.

Note: My personal favorite of the dressings is the alternate one. I also just rounded up on the veggies because I don't like having half a pepper left or whatever. You can always make more dressing, if you need to.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Puree

1 large or 2 small butternut squash (4lbs)
20 cloves of garlic (1.5-2 heads)
4 T olive oil, divided
¼ C water
2 leeks, finely chopped
5 C stock (chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste
2 T finely chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, seed and cut squash into 1” slices.

In a large roasting pan, combine squash, garlic and 2 T of the oil. Toss. Pour in the water. Roast, stirring occasionally until the garlic and squash are golden and soft, 50-60 min. Add more water if the squash begins to scorch.

While the squash and garlic are roasting, in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 T of oil. Add leeks and sauté until golden brown, 12-15 min. Set aside.

In a blender, in batches, combine roasted squash, garlic and lees with 1 cup of the stock. Puree until very smooth, about 1 min. Transfer pureed squash to a large saucepan. Stir in remaining 4 cups of stock and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with chives.

4-6 servings


[based on 4 servings]

Calories 386
Calories from Fat 134

Total Fat 14.9g (23%)
Saturated Fat 2.2g (11%)
Cholesterol 0mg (0%)
Sodium 985mg (41%)
Total Carbohydrates 65.3g (22%)
Dietary Fiber 10.2g (41%)
Sugars 12.8g
Protein 7.1g

Vit A 981% Vit C 177%
Calcium 29% Iron 25%
Nutrition Grade A