Simply Healthful Recipes

Portobello and Spinach Garden Sandwich

2010-10-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

I had to use up some portobello mushrooms in my fridge and came up with this basically raw sandwich. It turned out really good but next time I will be trying it with marinating the veggies that are on the inside of the sandwich.

Serves 4

4 Portobello caps, washed with stem off

1 cup Seared Spinach, divided

1/4 cup crumbled Goat Cheese, divided

1 Zucchini, halved and sliced thinly lengthwise, divided

1 half Red or Yellow onion sliced thinly in rings, divided

1 half cucumber thinly sliced in rounds, divided

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced in rounds, divided

1 Roma Tomato, sliced, divided

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, coldpressed or first coldpressed

Real or Himalayan Salt

Pepper

Assemble sandwich by taking one mushroom cap and filling with an 1/8 cup of crumbled goat cheese. Then layer your sandwich first with 1/4 cup Seared Spinach, then onion through tomatoes. Season layers of veggies with salt and pepper to your liking. Finish layers with another 1/4 cup of spinach and place another mushroom cap over the top.

Lightly brush olive oil on the top of each cap. Season caps with salt. Heat a panini press on lowest setting. Press portobello sandwich carefully between heated press (you can do this with a skillet and heavy pan too). Cook for 8-10 minutes for thick mushrooms and 5-7 for thin to medium thickness. You really are trying to smash the mushroom caps so that it will be easier to eat so try not to over cook, losing out on nutrients.

Repeat the above instuctions with the remaining ingredients.

When sandwichs are ready to serve, cut into halves or quarters giving each person only a half of each sandwich. These suckers are huge and filling!

This is a picture of the Portobello and Spinach Garden Sandwich, before pressed.

Zucchini Spaghetti

2010-09-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

1 Large Zucchini
1 Recipe of Red Sauce
Chopped Basil

Slice your zucchini with a type of julienne slicer or Paderno World Cuisine Vegetable Slicer. Top with red sauce and any other favorite spaghetti toppings.

Rich Chocolate Pudding

2010-06-02T09:05:00.001-07:00

You may be surprised by the main ingredient of this rich chocolate pudding but I promise no one will even know!

2 ripe medium AVOCADOS!!!
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave
1 tsp pure vanilla

Blend the insides of the avocados in a food processor or blender in till smooth. Add the remanding ingredients and process again till fully blended. Your pudding should turn out to be smooth, rich, and chocolaty! You may enjoy right away but it's better served chilled. This is also delicious topped with bananas, strawberries or even raspberries. Enjoy!

* Verdict from my kid taste testers ~ I served this to four kids ages 10, 7, 5 and 3. Next time I will double the recipe because they all LOVED IT! They were absolutely clueless it was made from avocado. My 10 year old hates, I mean HATES avocado and he was licking him bowl asking for more. I will be keeping this one a secret for awhile, but I sure can't wait to tell him. ;)

Fish Tacos

2010-05-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

This is such a fun and easy dish to make. Remember not to skimp on the white sauce and lime juice!

2-3 Cod Fillets
2-3 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Real Salt
Red Cabbage, super thinly sliced
6-8 Sprouted Corn Tortillas
6-8 Lime wedges

White Sauce:
1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt

Dairy Free White Sauce:
1/2 cup Vegenaise
Juice from 1/2 Lemon, then to taste

Marinate cod in Bragg's Liquid Aminos and olive oil for a few minutes. Prepare a skillet pan on medium high heat. Cook cod in skillet for 3-5 minutes then flip and cook other side for another 3-5 minutes until lightly browned and flakes.

While cod is still warm prepare fish tacos. Layer tacos first with tortilla, fish, then cabbage. Top with white sauce and sprinkle with lime wedge juice.

Orange Upside-Down Cake

2010-04-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

I made this for Easter and fell in love. It is a healthier variation of a recipe I found on another cooking website. The next time I make this I will be more careful of the orange presentation. Try to eat this one sparingly. If you can!

1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1 Orange, unpeeled and sliced thin (discard ends)
3/4 cup Earth Balance or other butter substitute
3/4 cup Agave
2 large Eggs or egg substitute
1 tablespoon grated Orange Peel
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 teaspoon non-aluminium Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Real Salt
1/3 cup whole Goat's Milk

In a 9-10 inch nonstick, oven proof pan (sloping sides preferred) add honey and orange juice. Heat on medium-high cook without stirring until mixture starts to thicken and becomes foamy (temperature reading should be about 230 degrees). Tilt the pan slightly to get a good temperature reading. It cooks fairly quickly so use caution. Let it cool to thicken as you set it aside.

In a large bowl add butter substitute through orange peel and beat with a mixer until smooth.

In a different bowl add all dry ingredients and whisk together until fully incorporated. Add about half of the flour mixture to butter substitute mixture and beat together. Add milk and beat together then add the rest of the flour mixture and beat again until smooth and creamy.

Place orange slices over thickened honey in an aesthetically pleasing circle spiral. Gently pour cake batter over the orange slices and honey. Be careful not to push oranges out to the edge of pan like I did wink, wink.

Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick from the center of the cake comes out clean. This will take about 30-40 minutes. Let cake cool for 5-10 minutes. Then, invert cake on to a flat plate. Be careful as the hot syrup may spill out.

Let the cake cool completely and refrigerate until you serve.

Broccoli Salad

2010-04-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

This is nondairy for those who do without. I think this is best on day 3, yum.

4 cups small Broccoli Florets
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups Grapes, halved
1 cup Raisins
1/4 cup raw Sunflower Seeds
1 tablespoon Shallots, minced
1/2 cup Veganaise
3 tablespoons Agave or Honey
1 tablespoon Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

In a large bowl combine first six ingredients.

In a small bowl combine veganaise, agave, and vinegar. Whisk until creamy. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss well. For best results chill overnight or for 6-8 hours.

Strawberries n' Cream Shake

2010-04-12T11:59:00.001-07:00

Since strawberries are coming early this year and the price for them is down, I thought I would share a morning shake to go with it.

1lb Strawberries, washed and greens cut off
1 Banana
Juice from 1 Lemon
4 tablespoons Coconut Cream Cocentrate
1 cup Water
2 cups Ice
Agave to taste

Blend all ingredients until you have a nice smooth, thick consistency. Serve immediately.

Tabouli

2010-04-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from my mom. It may not look it but it is addicting; very yummy and easy to eat. For me the millet really makes this dish.

1 cup Quinoa
1 cup Millet
1 cup Parsley, snipped
1/2 cup Scallions, chopped
1/4 cup Dill, snipped
1 Cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup Basil, snipped
1/2 cup Lemon juice
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt

Cook quinoa and millet in separate pans, as the millet takes longer to cook. Cook each according to package directions. In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa and millet. Add next five ingredients through basil and set aside. In a small bowl mix all other ingredients and pour over tabouli. Serve.

You can also add 1 large tomato chopped if you like.

Cauliflower Caviar Salad

2010-04-01T21:38:00.000-07:00

You won't even know your eating cauliflower. I call it caviar because it is salty and uniquely good.

1 Cauliflower head
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 teaspoons Cumin
2 teaspoons Turmeric
1 small Yellow Onion, minced
1 cup Water
1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh Dill, chopped
1-2 Garlic gloves, minced
1/2 cup Pine Nuts
7 tablespoons Sun-dried Julienne Sliced Tomatoes, chopped
Juice from 1 Lemon
Braggs Liquid Aminos to taste

Slice cauliflower head into small florets. In a food processor or Vita Mix Blender, process cauliflower into a couscous like texture. Set aside.

In a large saute pan warm oil, cumin, and turmeric for 2 minutes. Add onion and mix together. Add cauliflower and water; fold cauliflower, water, and onion together. Add remaining ingredients and fold until incorporated. Serve either warm or cold.

Tortilla Soup

2010-04-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Restaraunt style tortilla soup. So delicious and easy to make. One of my favorites.

2 medium Carrots, peeled and chopped in large chunks
2 Celery stalks, chopped in large chunks
1 small Yellow Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 cup Kale, chopped
1 Garlic, minced
4 cups Vegetable Broth
2 Firm Tomatoes (like Roma), diced
2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Real Salt or Himilayan Salt
1/4 teaspoon Mexican Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon The Zip (Spice Hunter)
1 tablespoon Agave

Corn Tortilla Chips, non-GMO
Cilantro

In a Vita Mix blender or food processor put all ingredients except diced tomatoes. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes. Then pour soup into a large soup pot. Add tomatoes and simmer on medium low until hot. Crumble tortilla chips over soup and top with cilantro. Serve with other favorite toppings:

Some of mine- avocado chunks, corn (non-GMO), olives, rice, black beans, cilantro

For a more tortilla-y soup, process tortilla chips in with soup ingredients while blending. Then also crumble more tortilla chips on top of soup when you serve it.

Honey-Lemon Grilled Asparagus

2010-03-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

This too was given to me from my brother-in-law, Ray. I've changed it a little to make it slightly more healthy but it is almost the same as his. Great for grilling season. The above asparagus had to be broiled for dinner instead of grilled because we were out of propane. I was totally bummed out. It is amazing grilled!

1 bunch of Asparagus, about 1 lb.
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1 Lemon or 2 Limes
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Real Salt (you can reduce by half)
1/2 cup Pine Nuts
Crumbled Goat Cheese, optional

Marinate asparagus in 2 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

In a small skillet on low heat cook lemon juice through pine nuts. Cook until honey is incorporated and pine nuts are warm.

Grill asparagus on medium high heat for about 5-10 minutes depending on grill. Asparagus should have a slight char look.

When the asparagus is done pour the lemon-honey mixture over the top of asparagus and coat well. Top with goat cheese and serve immediately.

Pita Pizza

2010-03-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

This is great for a 'fast Friday fix' when you are not wanting to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. One of my favorites too! For my two-week weight loss meal plan I don't include cheese. I usually opt out the cheese when I'm not on it too.

Favorite Pita Bread ( I like Naan whole wheat pita bread)
1 recipe of our raw Red Sauce
1 Shallot, minced
1 wedge of each, red and yellow bell pepper, sliced and diced
Any other toppings you like

Place pitas on an oven sheet. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of red sauce onto each pita. Spread sauce on each pita leaving a 1/2 inch edge. Sprinkle evenly the shallots, and peppers. Broil pitas on low for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Egyptian Spiced Lentil Soup

2010-03-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

This is one my mom gave me. This dish is more soup-like than our other lentil soup. When you eat it, you'll feel like your in Egypt, wink wink.

1+ cup Lentil
4 cups Stewed Tomatoes
4 cups + 2 cups Water
4 stalks of Celery, chopped
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large Onion, cut in wedges
3 large leaves Kale, chopped
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
1 tablespoon Onion Powder
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 teaspoons Real Salt
2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Allspice
1/2 teaspoon Cardamom
1/2 teaspoon Coriander
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Cloves

In a large pot combine lentils, stewed tomatoes, and 4 cups water. Set aside.

In a blender combine the 2 cups water and the celery, carrot, onion, and kale. Blend on high for 1 minute. Pour the blender mixture into the soup pot. Add spices to the pot and stir to combine.

Bring soup to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes. Serve.

Apple Green Salad with Arugula and Lemon-Shallot Dressing

2010-03-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

This makes for a nice lightly sweet salad

6-8 cups Lettuce ( I used romaine and heirloom lettuces)
1 cup Arugula, torn
1 medium Gala/Fuji Apple

Dressing:

1/2 cup shallots, minced
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 tablespoons Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1 tablespoon Agave

Wash and spin dry lettuce and arugula, set aside. Make dressing by combing all dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Thinly slice apple and immediately place into the dressing. Coat all the apple slices in the dressing. Pour dressing mixture over the lettuce. Serve immediately.

Mango Coconut Delight

2010-03-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

2 Mangos
3/4 Banana
1/4 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate
2 cups Water (or coconut milk/water)
2-4 tablespoons Agave or to taste
2 cups Ice

Blend together the first five ingredients through agave. Add ice and blend on high until the shake is smooth.

Blueberry Flax Shake

2010-03-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

1 (10 oz) bag of Frozen Blueberries (or mixed berries)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1-2 handfuls of Spinach (about 2 cups)
4 inches of Cucumber, cut into chunks
half of one Avocado
1-2 cups Water (or coconut water or rice/almond milk)
2 tablespoons Agave (or honey)
1 tablespoon Flax Seed
1 tablespoon Greens powder (optional)

Blend all ingredients together until desired consistency.

Ray Salad

2010-03-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe variation that my brother-in-law, Ray, gave to me. I couldn't call it anything other the Ray salad because that is what my family calls it.

Mixed Greens
Red and Yellow/Orange Bell Peppers, sliced thin and chopped
Avocado, sliced thin
Mango, sliced and peeled
Pine Nuts
Goat Cheese

Dressing:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Real Salt
Pepper

Build salad starting with the first ingredient from the bottom up. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over the top and season to taste. This is also good with a poppy seed dressing.

Vegetarian Chili

2010-03-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

This makes for a very large batch! You can freeze for later or store for leftovers. This would also make for a nice gift in a quart jar for a neighbor.

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large Yellow/White Onion
3 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Real Salt/Himalayan Salt
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
4 cups Organic Vegetable Broth
2 cups Roasted Red Bell Peppers (you can buy it in a jar or make your own), chopped
1 medium sized Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed (1/2 inch), about 2 cups
4 cups Stewed Tomatoes (I use my mom's homemade stewed tomatoes, yum!)
1 (15 oz) can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15oz) can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
2 stalks of Green Onion, thinly sliced

In a Dutch oven over low heat add oil and warm. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add cumin and next 4 ingredients, through the minced garlic. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. For a thicker chili simmer uncovered. For more of a stew like dish simmer covered with a lid. Sprinkle with green onions. I also like to add avocado chunks too.

Pink Lemonade

2010-01-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

My girls and I love making this together. They love to watch the hibiscus seep pink into the water right before their eyes. This is super refreshing and hibiscus is known to be hydrating. Enjoy.

6 cups Water
1 Tb dried Hibiscus Flowers (you can find this here)
Juice of 2-3 Lemons
Raw Agave

In a large preferably glass bowl combine water and hibiscus. The hibiscus will give the lemonade that amazing pink color. The longer you let it soak in the water the deeper pink color you will achieve.

When you have reached the color you like, drain water and hibiscus into a pitcher using a strainer.

Add the lemon juice and sweeten to taste with the agave.

Roasted Potato Salad

2009-05-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

6-8 medium Red Potatoes, sliced and chopped to bite size
1 medium Onion, diced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Favorite spices for roasting
Real Salt
1/2 cup Cucumber, finely chopped
2 Tb Green Onion, sliced (about one stalk)
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup Vegenaise

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl. Spread potato mixture onto a jelly roll like pan (this is when I like to salt the potatoes again), and roast at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes. When done and lightly browned on edges remove from oven and cool. Place potato mixture in a bowl and finish the cooling process in the refridgerator.

When completely cooled, add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve or chill until ready to serve.

Close Second, Cafe Rio House Dressing

2009-04-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

For all you western Cafe Rio lovers, this one's for you! This is a wonderful healthy option for their house dressing they use on their salads. We love to make cilantro lime rice, black beans, pico de gallo, and gaucomole with romaine lettuce and fresh cilantro for our salads. You could also roast or grill up some veggies to top it off. Enjoy this for Cinco de Mayo!

1 cup Vegenaise (I like the kind made with grape seed oil)
1/2 bunch Cilantro, washed
1/3 cup Goats Milk, or favorite milk option
1 half fresh Jalapeno or Tomatillo, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Cayenne

1/4 tsp dried Dill Weed

1/2 tsp Onion powder

1/2 tsp Parsley Flakes

1/2 tsp Garlic Salt

1/2 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Combine all ingredients into a Vita Mix blender or food processor. Start blending on low until cilantro is fully chopped and then gradually turn up the speed until you have a fine creamy consistency. Store dressing in a container and chill for at least 30 minutes or over night. Enjoy on a salad, in burritos, or any other Mexican dish you like.

Carrot Cake Bliss

2009-04-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

This is a healthier variation to a Wilton recipe I love. Very rich in taste, I feel like there only needs to be a dollop of frosting to go with. Enjoy sparingly, although that may be hard!

1 Banana, mashed
4 cups Carrots, shredded
2/3 cup Pecans, chopped
1/2 cup Golden Raisins
1/2 cup fresh Pineapple, crushed and drained
2 1/2 cups Agave
1 tsp Vanilla flavoring or extract
3 cups Flax Meal
2 cups unbleached Wheat Flour or Cake Flour, sifted
2 tsp Baking Soda, non-aluminum
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp each of Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice, and Real Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together first seven ingredients through vanilla. In a separate medium sized bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly incorporate. Next, pour the dry ingredients into the wet gradually, folding together until wet. Pour cake mixture into 2, 8 inch cake pans, lightly sprayed with olive oil and floured.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool cakes in pans for at least 10 minutes on cooling grid or rack. Then cool completely out of the pans on cooling grid or rack.

These cakes do well being frozen especially when frosting perfection is desired as well as a moister cake. For frosting I just used an organic frosting mix out of convenience. One day I will have a perfected recipe to share. Til then, enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

2009-03-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

By Guest Blogger: Jena Demarco

Mini loaves for the adults and mini muffins without chocolate chips for the children.

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
¾ cup Oatmeal Flour
¼ cup milled Flax
1 Tablespoon Wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Baking Soda (aluminum free)
½ teaspoon Real Salt
½ cup Egg Beaters*
2 cups Mashed Bananas
½ cup Honey
¼ cup Applesauce
1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Chocolate Chips or Carob Chips(optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Combine wet ingredients together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake mini muffins at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes or until done. For large loaves bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick/knife test comes out clean.

*Note: I leave out the eggs and just add a little more banana and flax seed. I have yet to notice a difference in the banana bread.

Quinoa Salad

2009-03-30T12:35:00.001-07:00

By Guest Blogger: Jena Demarco

Quinoa has become a favorite food to my family. You will not find our refrigerator without a bowl of cooked quinoa. In fact my husband just ordered us about 50 pounds for our food storage! I really don’t know how we will get through it all, but I think the way we are consuming our quinoa, it’s probably a good possibility that we will.

Some of the benefits of eating quinoa, besides the fact that we love the taste of it, is that it is a complete protein. Meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids! It is also a very good source of manganese, iron, copper and phosphorus. It is also low in gluten content, so it is one of the least allergenic grains.

There are many other benefits of this simple grain, for more information go to this site. They will give you the history and some other recipe ideas.

Here are some of the things we do with this grain that are simple and tasty.

First we cook the quinoa according to package directions so that we have it on hand for making these recipes. Like I said we usually keep a bowl of cooked quinoa for lunches and quick dinner preparations.

To cook the quinoa, add one part of the grain (make sure to rinse it well before cooking) to two parts liquid in a saucepan. After the mixture is brought to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover. One cup of quinoa cooked in this method usually takes 15 minutes to prepare. We have enjoyed it warm and cold with the following recipe.

Quinoa Salad (pictured above)

We just eyeball the amounts, if you like lots of veggies do more, and if you want more grain do fewer veggies. All veggies are cut up. This is just what we had put in and found we like, so by all means add your favorite vegetables and take out what you don’t like.)

Cooked Quinoa
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Avocado
Basil or any other favorite fresh herb you have
Mung bean sprouts or Alfalfa sprouts
Juice of a Lemon (to taste)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (just enough to coat the grain)
Salt to taste

Quinoa Patties

Cooked Quinoa
Milled Flax seed
Egg
Shredded: carrots, zucchini, cucumber
Fresh cilantro and parsley
Salt and other seasonings you like

Make into patties and grill with a small amount of olive oil. We like putting avocado on the top.

Classic Green Salad

2009-03-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

We had a few people wanting to know what we put in a typical family salad so here it is! We also love to put cucumbers and red pepper as well as sprouts when ever we can.

Favorite fresh Lettuces and or Spinach
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Avocado
Julienned sliced Zucchini
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Pine nuts

To assemble salad you can layer each ingredient starting with the lettuces similar to how the picture looks. Or, you can toss all ingredients together. Top with favorite dressing. You can also make a simple dressing with extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, or Udo's oil and lemon juice with favorite seasonings including Real Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Half Baked Pizza

2009-03-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe to bake up and freeze for later. Also, we love to use the same recipe to make a traditionally baked pizza. Enjoy!

2 cups Wheat Flour, unbleached (you could also use a combination of whole wheat or spelt with the wheat flour)
½-1 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt (depending on how salty you'd like it)
2 tsp non-aluminum Baking Powder
2/3 cup Water
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and thoroughly mix together until fully incorporated. Pour the wet ingredients in and with a spoon or hands mix wet and dry together until it becomes a nice dough. Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll dough out in desired shape; make even thinner by hand tossing it if you'd like.

Place rolled out dough on pizza stone or jelly roll and bake for about 25-30 minutes until lightly browned on edges. Now it is ready for your favorite toppings!

For this pizza my girls and I had for lunch we topped it off with our Pesto Sauce, fresh sliced tomatoes, red peppers, and an overly ripe avocado I was needing to use up. You could also top it off with rice cheese or goat cheese. Yum!

Lemon "Curd" or Syrup

2009-03-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Depending on how much coconut cream concentrate you add to this recipe you could make either syrup or a curd like dessert. Add more concentrate to make thicker. If used as a syrup it could serve 2-4 people. If used as "curd" it would serve more like 1 person. You can always double or triple this recipe.

¼ cup fresh Lemon Juice
1-4 Tb Coconut Cream Concentrate
2-4 Tb Agave Nectar
1-2 tsp Vanilla Flavoring
1 tsp fresh Lemon Zest (optional)

Combine all ingredients into a Vitamix Blender or a good high speed blender. Start blending the lemon mixture on medium speed and gradually work up to a high speed for about a minute. Scrape sides of blender if needed and check consistency. It should be a nice smooth mixture. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Roasted Veggies

2009-03-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

This was one yummy dinner!

I will list the veggies I used this time but you can always put in your own favorite veggies. We often use cherry tomatoes too.

3 medium sized Beets, reserve beet greens and stems for another time
1 yellow Onion, sliced
3-4 Zuchinnis, sliced thick
3-4 medium sized Carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise
6 small Red Potatoes, quartered and sliced
2-4 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced (optional)
1-2 Tb of your Favorite seasoning, I used an Herb de Province combination
Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Chop and slice all veggies to be thick but bite size. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly making sure all veggies are coated in oil and seasoning.

Dump veggie mix onto a cookie or jelly roll pan and spread them out, creating one layer of prepared veggies. Put pan in preheated oven and cook for 2o minutes or until lightly browned on edges.

Best Ever Cabbage

2009-03-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

This was one yummy dinner! Take note that the cabbage still has body to it. In other words, don't over cook the cabbage!

This recipe was given to me by this wonderful women and contributor on Simply Healthful. I also used a Meyer lemon that was locally grown. To achieve Best Ever Cabbage I would suggest doing the same!

1 head of Cabbage, sliced and washed
1 tsp fresh Thyme
1/2 tsp Marjoram
1/2 tsp Rosemary, fresh or dried
1 clove of Garlic, minced (optional)
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a large skillet put 1 tsp oil and turn heat to medium. Add cabbage and all other ingredients except for the lemon juice; sauté for about 3 minutes until cabbage is just barely beginning to wilt. Turn off heat and sprikle lemon juice on top of cabbage. Season with pepper and Real Salt or Himalayan salt to taste.

Seasoned Cod Fillets

2009-03-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

This was one yummy dinner!

4 Wild caught frozen or fresh Cod Fillets, if frozen, thaw them completely
1 Tb Fresh Thyme
A few sprigs for each fillet of Fresh Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Take thawed cod fillets and combine all spices and oil in a medium sized bowl. Use enough oil to coat fish completely.

Place fillets on a medium high heated skillet taking excess herbs and placing them on top of each fillet. Cover fillets and cook fish until done, about 7-10 minutes. The fish will flake easily when it is done. Serve immediately.

Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

2009-03-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

This was inspired by a Simply Healthful reader! You could call this a wannabe "Nutella" recipe. If you are not fond of the amount of coconut oil in this recipe you could use your favorite cold pressed oil instead. Many people use sunflower seed oil.

¾ cup Dates, soaked in 3 Tb hot water or ¾-1 cup raw Agave Nectar
¼ cup raw Almond butter or raw Hazelnut butter (if using Agave up the amount, making it more than the Agave Nectar)
3 Tb raw Cacao powder or raw Carob powder
4 Tb+ cold pressed Coconut Oil
1 tsp Vanilla extract or Vanilla flavoring
¼ tsp Real Salt

In a food processor combine all ingredients. I usually like to do the coconut oil last, adding tablespoon by tablespoon until it is the consistency that I like. To avoid heating you could also fold in the oil after processing all other ingredients.

If stored in the refrigerator this recipe will harden into a nice fudge! Enjoy!

Lime Cilantro Black Beans

2009-03-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

I love this in a "Mexican" salad similar to Cafe Rio's salads without the cheese and corn tortilla chips.

2 cups dry Black Beans, rinsed and sorted
1 yellow or white Onion, diced
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tb Real Salt or Himilayan Salt
1 Tb fresh Lime Juice
2 Tb freshly chopped Cilantro

In a slow cooker cover rinsed beans with 6 cups water and cook on low setting for 8 or 9 hours. After they have cooked for 8 hours check beans by tasting to see if they are soft and done. If done, turn slow cooker to warm and cover beans with lid. If beans look cooked but dry, add more water.

In a skillet on medium heat cook onions with oil for 2 minutes. Add onions, salt, lim juice and cilantro to beans and stir. Serve immediately if you'd like it warm.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

2009-03-04T06:30:00.001-08:00

We love, love, love, LOVE these!

2 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 tsp Real Salt
1 tsp aluminum free Baking Powder
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 cup hot water

Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the Olive Oil and mix well with your hands. The mixture will start to form into little pea shape balls. Then add the hot water slowly and start to knead until smooth. You may need less or more water so be careful and just add it slowly. You want your dough to be moist and soft but not sticky.

Next form your dough into golf ball sized balls. This recipe makes about 17 tortillas.

Before rolling out your tortilla, it makes it easier if you take a dough ball and flatten it a little in your hand to make a 3 inch circle.

Then flour up the surface you will be using and roll out your tortilla. You can make them as thick or as thin as you like. After you have one rolled out place it in a warm pan and brown on both sides. No oil in necessary in your pan because of the oil in the tortilla. These can also be frozen.

I make these all the time. They are surprisingly quick and easy to make. Try them out and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Tofu Marinade

2009-02-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

1 pkg extra or super firm Tofu (non-GMO)
Chinese five spice:
ground star anise
cinnamon
Szechuan peppercorns
ginger
cloves
Or you can have any five fragrant spices you like I used cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, garlic and ginger for this recipe.
3 Tb Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Olive Oil

Drain water from tofu. Then take tofu and place between paper towels with a heavy object (heavy pan or weights), on top to press tofu. Let the tofu be pressed for at least 1 hour.

When tofu has been sufficiently pressed and feels mostly dry cut into desired shape (I like cubes or 'patties'). Pat tofu dry again with paper towels.

Mix spices (I measure about 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp of each spice depending on which spices I like best), and Bragg's Liquid Aminos together. In a 8 inch square pan, place tofu in pan to layer the bottom pour spice mixture over it and rub marinade into tofu. Let sit at room temperature for 3o minutes or marinade in refrigerate for a few hours. The spice mixture should absorb into tofu leaving excess spices behind.

Oil a skillet and warm on medium heat. Cook tofu for 2 minutes on each side; enough to warm through. Serve immediately. This would be great in a pita, wrap, or salad.

Tofu Ricotta Filling

2009-02-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite tofu recipe to make. You will be so suprised you made this with tofu.

2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Flaxseed Oil
2 pkg firm Tofu (non-GMO)
4 Garlic cloves, minced
3 springs of Basil, or 1/4 cup chopped Basil
2 tsp Italian Seasoning (Spice Hunter)4 tsp dried Onion, or 1/4 cup Onion, minced
1 tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Place all ingredients into a VitaMix Blender or food processor. Pulse on low and gradually process up to a medium speed. Thoroughly blend, scraping down sides if needed. Pipe into unbleached wheat flour manicotti pasta or have in our lasagna. Pour our Red Sauce over pasta to complete the dish.

Almond Butter Balls

2009-02-25T08:34:00.001-08:00

My kids love these for after school snacks!

1 cup Almond Butter or Natural Peanut Butter
2 1/2 cups Oats
1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 cup Agave or 3/4 cup Honey
Carob Chips or Unsweetened Coconut, Optional

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, I use my hands. When it is mixed well, form into balls. Store these in the refrigerator.

Tofu Cubes

2009-02-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

This style of tofu can be used in so many ways. Have it with our Seared Spinach or your favorite salad. Slice up tomatoes, avocado, basil and serve it up with the tofu cubes and you have a great version of a caprese salad.

1 pkg extra firm or super firm Tofu (Non-GMO)
2 Tb Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Take tofu out of the packaging and between layered paper towels press water out of tofu just enough so as not to break apart tofu. Slice tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Marinade tofu in Bragg's Liquid Aminos with spices for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook tofu with marinade in a skillet on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until tofu is warmed through. Salt to taste if needed. Serve immediately or chill and have later in a salad.

Scrambled Tofu

2009-02-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

This is super easy to make and delicious. I use it as a side and in salads. I like to also put it in sandwiches and wraps for added texture and flavor.

1 pkg Firm or Super Firm Tofu (make sure Non-GMO)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

¼ -1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence

Cut tofu block in half. Over a sink, take each half and squeeze tofu between your hands, releasing as much water out as you can. If needed use a strainer underneath to catch any tofu that falls out of your hands.

Break tofu up, creating a "scrambled" look to the tofu and put into a skillet. Add oil and all other ingredients to the skillet. Stir tofu and spices, incorporating all the ingredients together.

Cook tofu on medium until warmed through. Do a taste test to make sure. At this point taste and add any more of the spices you would like. To make a more "cheesier" taste add more garlic, onion and salt.

Seared Spinach

2009-02-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

If you are in a pinch for a side salad, this takes only a few minutes to prepare and make. This also is a great addition to any sandwich too!

4-6 cups fresh Spinach, washed and dried
3-4 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Real Salt or Himalayan Salt
Lemon Juice

Place your fresh spinach in a medium sized bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan warm oil and garlic on medium heat. This will only take a minute or two. When garlic begins to be fragrant and makes a "crackle" sound, take off heat immediately. Pour oil over spinach and fold together until spinach is completely covered in the oil and garlic. Salt and lemon to taste. Serve immediately.

Fruit Springroll with Choco Sweet Sauce

2009-02-13T07:54:00.003-08:00

I usually wouldn't recommend eating fruit for dessert. Reason being, it is easier for you body to digest fruit on it's own and on an empty stomach. The most ideal time to eat fruit is in the morning. But, there are times, a few times, where there is a call for indulgence. Banana, Pineapple and Ginger are all aphrodisiacs too. Enjoy!

2 rice paper Spring Roll Wrappers, (optional)
½ Mango, peeled and sliced thin
½ Banana, sliced thin lengthwise
Fresh Pineapple chunks, sliced thin
1 Kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced to show middle

Sauce:

½-3/4 cup Water
2 Tb Coconut Oil (cold pressed)
1-2 tsp freshly grated Ginger
2 Tb Honey
3-4 Tb raw Carob Powder

Soak wrappers in hot water until pliable, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove wrappers from water; pat them dry with paper towels. Arrange fruit in center of wrapper. Fold in sides and then the top and bottom last (similar to a burrito). Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sauce directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and whirl on high for a few minutes until smooth and thick. Drizzle on fruit spring rolls or serve in a small dish for dipping, on the side.

Lightly Roasted Asparagus

2009-02-13T07:54:00.002-08:00

This asparagus recipe is very easy and a great side to many dishes. Asparagus is also a known aphrodisiac.

1 bunch of Asparagus
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Real Salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and break ends on asparagus. Place asparagus on oven safe pan. Lightly drizzle oil over asparagus. With hands or tongs mix asparagus around pan to lightly coat with oil. Lightly salt asparagus. Roast asparagus in the oven until they are barely done (slightly soft but still will crunch when you bite into it), about 7-8 minutes.

Marinated Salmon with Avocado

2009-02-13T07:54:00.001-08:00

This salmon is prepared with fennel and avocados which are known aphrodisiacs.

2 5-7 oz fillet of Wild Salmon (in season in the summer, you can find it frozen at Costco)
1 cup unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 cup Fennel Bulb, sliced
1-2 tsp Roasted Chile Paste
Juice of 1 lime
Real Salt and Pepper
1 ripe Avocado, meat diced

Lightly salt and brush salmon with extra virgin olive oil. Broil on low until salmon flakes and is done (about 10 minutes). Let salmon rest and cool to touch.

Combine in a large bowl coconut milk, fennel, paste and lime juice and whisk together. Season mixture with salt and pepper, fold in salmon, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, fold in avocados. Reseason with salt and pepper if needed. Use a slotted spoon to serve.

Arugula Fennel Salad with Choco Dressing

2009-02-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

Arugula, fennel, and pine nuts are all considered aphrodisiacs. Arugula is often paired with pine nuts. Add apple or pear slices if arugula is too peppery for you. In the picture I used leeks because they were out of fennel bulbs.

2 bunches of Arugula
1 cup Fennel Bulb, sliced
4-5 sweet red Mini Peppers, sliced
Pine Nuts

Wash and dry the arugula. In a small skillet, lightly sauté fennel on medium low for five minutes. Add fennel and peppers to arugula. Top salad with pine nuts and serve.

Dressing:

Juice of one Lemon
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Udo's Oil
1-3 Tb raw Carob Powder
¼ tsp Real Salt

The best way to make this is in a blender. Blend on high for a few minutes until slightly thick.

Carob Butter-Balls

2009-02-12T04:01:00.000-08:00

This dessert is best when chilled. Eat sparingly though. In two-three dates there can be 25 grams of sugar.

2 cups Dates (you can presoak in Rice Milk if you like)
½ cup unsweetened Rice Milk
2 cups Raw Almond Butter
½-3/4 cup Raw Carob Powder

In a food processor or Vita Mix blender, while blade is spinning drop dates and rice milk in and blend until smooth. Continue with the almond butter and blend until incorporated (you may have to stop and stir the mixture a little to blend). Put mixture into a mixing bowl and fold in carob powder. Use enough powder to make the mixture thick and be able to ball-up. Take spoonfuls of mixture and roll between hands to make balls. Roll balls into loose carob powder. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; place balls onto cookie sheet. Chill for a few hours or overnight. You can serve them how they are or roll them again in loose carob powder and then serve.

Dark Silk Fudge

2009-02-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

Carob is a great choice for a chocolate substitute. You can find it in most health food stores. Be careful to use chips that are sweetened. The sweetened carob usually has added milk, sugar or other things. Carob is a great naturally sweet, caffeine free option. It is safe for children and even dogs and cats. Also, it burns alkaline in the body as opposed to chocolate, which burns acidic. When majority of what we eat burns acidic it is a great "sweet" option for trying to be healthy.

1 (10 oz.) package of Carob chips (raw, unsweetened is ideal)
2 Tb Coconut Cream Concentrate
½ cup Water
1 ½ tsp Vanilla Flavoring
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Put carob chips into a double boiler. Place over hot (not boiling), water. Stir until melted. While carob is melting blend coconut cream concentrate with water in a blender on high making coconut milk (you could also use actual coconut cream/butter in the same amount). Add coconut milk slowly into melted carob, stirring constantly until smooth. Then add vanilla and blend until incorporated.

Spread carob mixture into a lightly oiled 8 inch pan. Cool in the refrigerator until set and firm, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Almond Pâté

2009-02-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

Soaking almonds: Soak almonds for 8 hours in water or over night. They will double in size and become softer. A quart jar works well for soaking.

2 cups of soaked Almonds
¼ to ½ cup of Water
¼ cup Olive oil or Flaxseed oil or Udo’s oil blend
1 large or 2 small Garlic Cloves
Juice from ½ to 1 Lemon
Favorite herbs

1 Red Bell Pepper (optional)
Real Salt or Braggs Aminos to taste

Blend almonds and water in blender or food processor, adding oil slowly to emulsify. Add garlic, lemon, seasoning, red bell pepper and salt to taste. Blend well and enjoy. Use within 7 days.

Great as a vegetable dip, spread on sprouted tortillas or on veggie wraps!

Variation (a great one to try for St. Patrick's day, the color turns green):

½ to 1 cup Almond Dip
2 cups finely chopped spinach
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup finely chopped green onions

Mix well together and serve.

Tofu Kabobs

2009-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

I like to serve this over brown rice with a side of Edamame.

You will need:
1 pkg. Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced into round chunks
1 summer squash, sliced into round chunks
cherry tomatoes
pineapple chunks
Any other veggies you would like!

Marinade:

1-2 cups Teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp Braggs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp honey, if you like it sweeter

Combine the tofu and marinade in a shallow dish and cover for 1 hour. If your using wooden skewers remember to soak them in water so that do not burn when cooking. After the marinade is done soaking into the tofu start threading the tofu chunks and the veggies onto the skewers. Cook them on a grill or under a broiler, rotating and basting occasionally, until veggies and tofu is nicely browned. Serve over brown rice.

These are fun for the kids to help with and you don't have to worry about little hands on raw meat!

Steel Cut Oats Cereal

2009-01-29T00:42:00.000-08:00

Great on a cold Winter morning. I like to eat it cold with nothing on it too.

4 cups Water
1 cup Steel Cut Oats
1 cup Raisins

Slow cooker method:
Add above to slow cooker and turn on low late at night. Cook for about 8-9 hours and it will be ready for breakfast! (it may take less time depending on your slow cooker)

Stove top method:
Bring above ingredients to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Top cereal with milk and your favorite natural sweetner or have it plain.

The ratio of oats to water= 4 parts water: 1 part oats

Noodle Lettuce Wraps

2009-01-26T17:10:00.000-08:00

1 pkg Buckwheat Soba Noodles
2 medium Zucchinis, julienne sliced
4 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed), divided
1 large Shallot, minced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Tb Ginger, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin
1 Orange Bell Pepper, sliced thin
1 Avocado, sliced thin
1 medium Tomato, diced (optional)
Water chestnuts, chopped
1 head of Iceberg Lettuce, Boston Bibb or Butter Lettuce

Sauce:
1/4 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos
Honey
Roasted Chili Paste (optional)

Cook soba noodles according to the package directions in a large sauce pan. When noodles are done coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and add zucchini. Slice noddles and zucchini with knife, criss-crossing to create very tiny strips. Set noodles aside. Add remaining oil to a skillet with shallot, garlic, and ginger; cook on medium for 3-4 minutes until the aroma becomes strong. Add shallot mixture to noodles and stir.

Arrange toppers (peppers through chestnuts), in serving bowls or plates. Wash and dry whole lettuce leaves, being careful not to tear. Serve, allowing people to spoon noodles into lettuce and topping with favorite sides and sauce.

Sauce directions:
We like to prepare a mild sauce and hot sauce for people to choose from. Add to Liquid Aminos honey and paste to taste. Start with small amounts and work toward likeness.

I have a julienne slicer to slice my zucchini, makes it super easy!

Breakfast Flax Muffins

2009-01-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

This is a great mildly sweet muffin, perfect for your morning meal. We made these muffins with golden raisins, my favorite. Also if you notice, there is no oil used in this recipe. Ground flaxseed can be substituted for cooking oil and shortening with a ratio of 3 to 1 in baked goods (1-1/2 cups ground flaxseed can replace 1/2 cup butter, oil, or margarine) and will still end up surprisingly moist.

1-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
¾ cup organic Flax Meal
¾ cup Oat Bran or Oat Meal
1 cup Honey
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Real Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1-1/2 cups Carrots, finely shredded
2 unpeeled, shredded Apples
½ cup Raisins (optional)
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
¾ cup Rice Milk
2 beaten Eggs, Egg Substitute, or Egg Replacer
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix all of your dry ingredients together starting with the whole wheat flour and ending with the cinnamon. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a Vita Mix and blend thoroughly. Pour wet ingredients into the dry mixture and fold gently. DO NOT OVER MIX. Mix until ingredients are just moist. Fill muffin cups mostly full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes about 12-15 muffins.

Seafood Marinade and Bok Choy Stir-fry

2009-01-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

These are great party pleasers especially in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Seafood Marinade

2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)
2 Tb lime juice
4 Tb Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 Tb Honey
½ tsp minced Ginger
2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Place seafood into a zip top bag and pour marinade over. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cook seafood according to the food’s cook time.

Bok Choy Stir-fry

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (cold pressed)
2 small heads Bok Choy or 3-4 baby Bok Choy, sliced into long strips
1 Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into strips
¼ cup vegetable broth
1 medium Garlic Clove, minced
1-2 Tb Ginger, minced
2 Tb Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 Tb Honey
¼ tsp Red Pepper flakes

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add the bok choy and peppers to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes, not overcooking the veggies. Remove veggies from skillet and cover. Add all remaining ingredients to the skillet and cook for a minute, mashing mixture until fragrant. Stir mixture into the veggies and serve over rice.

Lentil Soup aka Mama's Mud Chowda

2009-01-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

My family loves this soup. Even my small children will eat it. Lentils are another great source of protein.

1 lb brown Lentil beans
4 cups Vegetable Broth or Water
2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil, cold pressed
1 cup Onion, about half of a large onion
½ -1 cup Carrot, shredded
1 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Real Salt
Avocado
Chives or Onion

In a large soup pot prepare lentils by placing them in the pot and covering them an inch up with vegetable broth. Add more broth or water if needed to completely cover. Bring mixture to a boil for 2 minutes. Then cover lentils with a lid and simmer on low for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender (depending on how old your lentils are, this could take even up to a full hour).

While lentils are cooking, add olive oil, onion, and carrots to a skillet and sauté on medium low for 5 minutes. Then add onions and carrots, along with cumin and salt, to the lentils when they are mostly done; about 25 minutes into the lentil's cooking time. Cook mixture together for about 5 minutes, try not to overcook the onion and carrots. Now, remove pot from the heat. Take 3/4 of the soup and blend it in a blender then pour back into the pot (or use hand held mixer to blend soup to desired consistency). Stir soup together and ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with avocados and chives or onions for a more Mexican taste. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Penne Pasta

2009-01-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is an easy dinner, for those crazy nights, that the whole family will enjoy.

1 box whole wheat or brown rice Penne
olive oil
2 to 3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli
3 cups or 28oz of homemade or your favorite jar tomato based sauce
Sea Salt

Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box. When your pasta is done lightly coat it with a little olive oil. Steam your broccoli just enough to be tender. Do not over cook, you don't want it to be mushy. Also the least amount it is cooked the more nutrients it will have. Add your broccoli and sauce to the pasta. Then season to taste with sea salt. It's really that easy! I usually serve this with sour dough bread and a spinach salad.

Of course homemade sauce is best but if you are using a store bought pasta sauce, make sure you are reading the labels. You don't want to buy a sauce that is loaded with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt or preservatives. Try to stick to a sauce that is pure and simple. For example the sauce I have on hand for those crazy nights is made from, organic tomato paste and tomatoes, organic basil, chopped onions, garlic powder, oregano, chopped garlic. That's it! Pure and Simple!

Creamy Broccoli Soup

2009-01-13T00:02:00.000-08:00

This soup is mildly cooked to retain enzymes and nutrient value of the veggies. I love this with a side of avocado spread on top of yeast free, whole grain bread.

2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)
1 Onion, diced
4 cups Broccoli Florets
4 cups Vegetable Broth or Water
2 Tbs. Coconut Cream Concentrate
Real Salt and Pepper to taste

Chop broccoli into small pieces and set aside. In a large pot heat the oil on medium low. Saute onion for about 5 minutes then add broth and broccoli. Cover with a lid and turn heat to high for 5 minutes. Then turn heat off for another 5 minutes. Broccoli should be lightly cooked not overcooked. Remove from heat and let cool, uncovered. Pour half of the soup into a blender and puree. Add blended soup back into the pot (you can achieve the same results with a handheld mixer). Once soup has cooled for at least 5 minutes, after taken off heat, add coconut cream and mix in thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Quinoa Super Cookies

2009-01-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Quinoa is a great source of protein. I would classify these cookies as a transitional food. Something on your way to being healthy.

1 cup Quinoa Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ cup Sugar or favorite all natural sweetner
2 teaspoons Vanilla Flavoring
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
½ cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs or Egg Substitute or Replacer
1-2 teaspoons Coral Calcium (100% above ground coral calcium), optional

In a large bowl, mix all wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Combine dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix by hand or with a mixer. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie mix onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for eight minutes at 350 degrees.

Cucumber Refresher

2009-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big fan of avocado shakes even though they are extremely healthy. While messing around with some recipes my husband and I came up with this recipe in lieu of an avocado shake. Surprisingly sweet and perfect for in the morning.

2 handfuls of Spinach
3/4-1 cup sliced Cucumber (about 5-6 inches of a cucumber)
Half of 1 Avocado
Juice of 1 Lemon
1-2 cups Water
2 handfuls of Ice Cubes
2 1/2-3 packets of Stevia
A scoop of your favorite super greens (optional)

Place all ingredients into a blender (I use a Vita Mix blender) and blend on medium for a minute. Then turn blender to a high setting and blend until all ingredients are completely smooth and blended. Serve immediately.

Classic Hummus

2008-12-29T22:28:00.000-08:00

This is a great classic hummus recipe. You can use this as a base recipe for other hummus variations too.

3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed)
Juice of 1 Lemon
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1/8-1/4 cup Raw Tahini (I use less usually)
1 can Garbanzo Beans, drain most water leaving a little
1-2 teaspoons Cumin
Garlic Herb Bread Seasoning (Spice Hunter) to taste
Real Salt or Sea Salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in a Vita Mix blender or food processor until smooth. Serve with your favorite veggies, sprouted wheat tortilla, or use as a spread in wraps and sandwiches.

Christmas Tree Veggie Platter

2008-12-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

I saw this adorable idea on the cover of the "Pillsbury Holiday Appetizers" magazine. Last night I took this to a Christmas dinner we attended. It was a huge hit! This would also be a fun platter for a children's Christmas party. My kids thought it was "awesome". Not only is it awesome, but teamed up with a dip like hummus over the traditional ranch dip, it's also very healthful.

HaPpY HoLiDayS!!!

Cranberry Sauce

2008-12-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

Not only yummy on your Holiday table; put a dollop on crackers or nut cereal with yogurt.

4 cups fresh Cranberries (you could also use frozen)
1 cup Pure Maple Syrup

Put cranberries in a pan and simmer on low until they "pop". Mash cranberries a little while simmering, the sauce will thicken. Cool and serve.

Blender Pancakes

2008-12-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

Easy, Fast, Nutritious and little clean up!

1 cup red or white wheat kernels
1 1/4 cup water
1 egg or 1 Tbs ground flax seed
2 Tbs apple sauce
1 or 2 Tbs honey, maple syrup or agave
1/2 ts sea salt
1 Tbs baking powder

Blend the wheat kernels and water in your blender in till smooth. (I promise this won't hurt your blender) Then add the next 4 ingredients and blend till all the way mixed. Lastly add the baking powder and pulse your blender a couple time. The batter should foam up a little bit and become somewhat airy. Then pour right onto your hot pan.

You can also use this batter for waffles. Enjoy!

Pesto Sauce

2008-12-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

3 heaping cups Spinach
2.5 oz fresh Basil (they usually sell this amount in the store)
1/2 Lemon, juiced
2-4 cloves of Garlic
1 cup Pine nuts
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed)

Place all ingredients in a blender, preferably a Vita-Mix, and blend. Blend until smooth. Serve as a dip or over pasta. We even use it on our homemade pizza.

By: Julene Ballard

Pesto Sauce pictured with Buckwheat Soba Noodles, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes

Reindeer Sandwiches

2008-12-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

Aren't these so cute! My friend Michelle showed me how to make them. When I made these reindeers today for my kids I wanted to make them not only cute but healthful. So these little guys are made with multi-grain bread and are filled with natural peanut butter, honey and banana slices. Their antlers are pretzels and their eyes and nose are made from raisins. I served them with blackberries. My kiddos went crazy, they loved them! Try them out and let us know what your healthy reindeers are filled with.

Whole Wheat Berry Pancakes

2008-12-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

My husband makes these every Saturday morning. The kids love them!

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbs aluminum-free baking powder
3 Tbs ground flax seed
3 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk or alternative (I used soy)
3 Tbs apple sauce
1 Tbs vanilla
3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups berries, fresh or frozen (I used white raspberries this time)

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and flax in a bowl. Add the egg yolks, milk, apple sauce and vanilla and mix well. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form. (as shown below) Fold the egg whites into batter.

Beat in your berries.

Now your ready to cook them up. Depending on if you use fresh or frozen berries you may need to add a little more milk to make it the consistency you like. We like to eat these with pure maple syrup. Enjoy!

Christmas Lasagna

2008-12-12T21:24:00.000-08:00

This is one of my husbands favorites. Very flavorful as well as colorful.

White Filling:
2 pkg. extra firm Tofu
2-3 Garlic cloves
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
2 tsp. Onion powder
2 Tbs. fresh Basil
1 tsp. Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

Red Sauce:
3-5 Tbs. Sun Dried Tomatoes, julienne cut
5-8 firm Tomatoes, I like Roma
1 cup fresh Basil, chopped
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Real Salt or Himalayan Salt

1 pkg. Lasagna, I use Rice or you can also use Whole Wheat
2 medium sized Zucchini, julienne sliced
1-2 cups Roasted Red Pepper, sliced
1/2-1 cup Green or Yellow Onion, chopped
Add any other favorite veggies you like
1 pkg. Rice or Soy Cheese, about 2 cups
Rice or Soy Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare White Filling by first draining water from tofu. In Vita Mix blender or food processor blend tofu with the rest of the filling ingredients, thoroughly. Set aside.

Prepare lasagna according to package directions.Make Red Sauce by blending all sauce ingredients together. Set aside.

In a shallow baking dish start layering with lasagna first. Cover bottom of baking dish with one layer of lasagna, then spread a layer of White Filling. Layer veggies next and cover with a layer of Red Sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Repeat. Cover the last layer of lasagna with Red Sauce. Top with the rest of the cheese and sprinkle with parmesan, generously.

Bake for 15 minutes. This is only to warm the Christmas Lasagna. Serve immediately.

Perfect Steamed Broccoli

2008-12-11T22:12:00.000-08:00

I get people I serve this to going back for seconds! Broccoli! Many say they don't usually like broccoli but they like it this way. I hope you like.

2-3 cups of washed florets of broccoli
1-2 Tbs. of good oil like EVOO (cold pressed), flax seed oil, Udo's Blend (my favorite)
1/2-1 Tbs. of Braggs Amino Liquids

Steam broccoli on stovetop on high for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let it sit on stove for another 5 minutes. Spoon into a bowl. Dress Broccoli with the rest of the ingredients; mix. These ingredients can be to taste so have fun with it and enjoy!