Black Bean Dip or Taco Filling from TM

You asked for a recipe, so here is one of our favorites. We use it to fill tacos or eat it cold with baked tortilla chips.

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole corn, rinsed and drained (or frozen)
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
fresh cilantro, chopped (add to preferred taste)
sea or kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 T olive oil

Saute bell pepper, onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, about three to four minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in beans, corn and cilantro, and cook until warmed through.

Spring Time Pasta from TJ

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta (pick your favorite)
2 T olive oil
2 T minced garlic (1 T of dried garlic)
1 bunch broccoli (cut and peel stalk and include it too!)
½ C carrot (thinly sliced)
½ C yellow onion (diced)
¼ C water
1 red bell pepper (sliced and seeded)
1 8-oz package mushrooms
½ C shredded parmesan cheese

Directions: In large dutch oven, heat water for pasta. Meanwhile in smaller saucepan, add olive oil and garlic over medium heat – heat for one minute. Add broccoli, carrot and onion; toss them in the oil to seal in the flavor. Add the water, cover and cook for 3 minutes. (Check the water for the pasta and add pasta to boiling water – cook for 8-9 minutes – do not over cook.) Add bell pepper and mushrooms to vegetables and cook an additional 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover and let vegetables steam until pasta is done. Sprinkle vegetables with cheese and serve over pasta. Awesome by itself or as a side to grilled fish!

Taboulleh fromTJ

Tabouleh – Greek wheat salad
Ingredients:
2 C boiling water
1 C cracked wheat or bulgar
1 C tomatoes, chopped
1 medium cucumber, diced
1 C parsley, finely chopped
½ C green onion, finely chopped
3 T mint, finely chopped
½ C lemon juice
½ C oil
2 t salt

Directions: In large non-metal bowl, pour boiling water over cracked wheat. Let stand 1 hour or until fluffy. Drain well and return to bowl. Add next 5 ingredients and mix well. Combine lemon juice, oil and salt. Stir into wheat salad. Best served near room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

Italian Lentils with Pasta from TJ

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
1 C shredded carrot
½ C shredded celery
½ C chopped green or red pepper
2 T minced garlic
½ C fresh basil, cut into strips
3½ C water
1½ C lentils
1 quart diced tomatoes
1 lb. penne pasta
2 C shredded colby or cheddar cheese

Directions: In large dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat. Add vegetables and simmer 5 minutes. Add garlic, basil, water, and lentils. Cover and bring to boil. Add tomatoes; cover and reduce to simmer for one-hour (or longer). Meanwhile, cook pasta and shred cheese if necessary. Serve lentils over pasta and top with lots of cheese.

Pumpkin Pancakes from Marilyn

A small amount of sugar in this, but a nice transition:
Here's a delicious recipe for pumpkin pancakes-which even my teenagers like:
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder (aluminum-free)
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. freshly grated ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. sea salt
1 c. low fat milk
1 egg
1/3 c. canned pumpkin
2 T. oil
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
1/4 c. dried cranberries
Mix wet ingredients together, then mix dry ingredients together. Fold wet & dry ingredients together. Ladle spoonfuls of batter onto griddle and cook. I sprinkle the walnuts and cranberries on top as they are cooking. Flip pancakes when bubbles appear on top. Delicious!

Breakfast Power Drink from Claudia

organic rice milk
fresh ground golden organic flax seeds that we grind in a coffee grinder (don’t buy pre-ground) We use our coffee grinder for spices and flax not coffee
1 frozen banana organic
1/2 cup blueberries organic
You may use any other fruit that suites your liking or change as season changes
2 stalks fresh organic kale (super high in calcium)
1 handful organic spring mix (super high in calcium)
4-6 raw almonds
2 tablespoons UDOs best omega 3-6-9 DHA
We have added grated carrots and beets on occasion
you can add 1/2 water & 1/2 rice milk to make less sweet if desired
Mix in vitamix and you have complete breakfast

Marinara Sauce from Alisha

Marinara Sauce
I love making fresh sauces and finding healthier versions to serve my family. This is really great over spaghetti squash or angel hair pasta.
1/2 white onion
2 cloves garlic 1-2 small cans tomato paste for thickness
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tsp Dried Thyme
8-10 Fresh Tomatoes
1-2 tsp Dried Oregano 1 Green pepper 1-2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1-2 tsp Dried Rosemary

Sautee onion, green pepper and garlic in olive oil. Add seasonings to your onions after they have cooked half way through. You can add whatever combination of seasonings you desire, have fun and experiment with flavors. Add diced tomatoes tomato paste to onions and garlic. Stir everything together and let it simmer. This mixture should probably simmer for 35-60 minutes. Cover and continue to let simmer. If there is too much acidity, add a little water, or brown sugar to calm the flavors down. Sauce should not be too sweet.

Simple Fruit Smoothie from Alisa

Here is a simple fruit smoothie that I make in my Vita-mix. It is hard to get my kids to eat healthy, but they LOVE this smoothie — it tastes like a dessert it is so yummy! I would love it if others who have similar recipes would share them!

Fruit Smoothie
1 cup red grapes
4-5 frozen strawberries
1 banana
Sometimes I add milk if I want it to be more liquid.

I add fresh spinach to my smoothie, but it turns the smoothie a different color so my picky kids won’t eat it if it has spinach in it! (sigh)

Summer Coleslaw from Sue

Summer Coleslaw

For each serving:
2 cups coleslaw mix
1/2 cup cucumber slices
10-15 snow peas
1 Golden Girl tomato (or red tomato)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
sprinkling of parsley flakes, if desired

Mix ingredients together in a soup bowl and enjoy. Very energizing!

Apples and Peanut Butter

If you have a craving for something sweet and snacky, try homemade peanut butter: pour unsalted peanuts (16 oz jar) into a Bosch or Vitamix or similar food processor. Process on high for 7 minutes, or until peanut butter is the desired smoothness. Slice fresh organic apples and dip into the warm, just processed peanut butter. Yummy!

No-Cook Applesauce

4-6 medium apples, washed, cored and quartered
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 T. lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a large Ziploc bag. Toss well to distribute spices evenly. Place in freezer for at least four hours. Remove from freezer and allow to thaw for an hour or more. Place apple pulp in a glass serving bowl and mash with a fork. Serve cold.

Carrot Bread

1 lb. sweet carrots, peeled and grated
1 1/4 C. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 C. cornmeal
pinch sea salt
1/4 C. flax meal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, separated
2 T. oil
1/2 C. organic honey
3/4 C. milk
1/4 C. raisins
1/4 C. dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375. In a small saucepan place carrots and enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, let cool. In a medium mixing bowl mix flour, cornmeal, flax meal, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff. Mix egg yolks with oil, honey, and milk. Mix well. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in egg whites. Add dried fruits and cooked carrots and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or loaf will be tough. In a 9x5 sprayed cooking pan, pour batter and bake for 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Apple Blackberry Crumble

1 lb. sweet apples
juice of 1 lemon
1 C. fresh blackberries
1/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. rolled oats
3 T. soft butter
1/4 C. pitted dates, chopped fine
1/4 C. chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 400. Spray or butter an ovenproof dish. Core and slice apples and mix them in lemon juice. Place in a medium size saucepan with blackberries; bring to a simmer. Pour into baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and oats with the butter until it resembles crumbs. You may need more butter. Add nuts and fruit to pan, cover with crumble mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.

Blueberry Crumble

6 C. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/8 to 1/4 C. organic sugar or organic honey
1 T. arrowroot powder
4 T. water
2-3 C. granola or muesli

Preheat oven to 375. Place berries in a deep oven-proof baking dish. In a small bowl mix arrowroot and water thoroughly. Stir in the honey or sugar and pour over the blueberries. Top with granola. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. You can do this with peaches or apricots as well.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

1 C. old fashioned oatmeal flakes
1 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C. milk
1 large egg, beaten
2 T. ground flax seed
2 T. + 1 tsp. olive oil
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 C. whole wheat flour
1/4 C. dried cranberries
1/4 C. dried cherries
1/4 C. raisins

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare muffin tins by lining with papers or cooking spray. Combine oatmeal, applesauce, milk, eggs, flax, and oil in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine dry ingredients, including dried fruit. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into it. Stir just until all ingredients are combined (do not overstir). Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 15- 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Roasted Vegetables with Hummus

Zucchini
Carrots
Cauliflower
Olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450. Peel and prepare vegetables in snack-size sticks or flowerettes. Coat vegetables in olive oil; season with sea salt and pepper. Put on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 400; watch to make sure they don't over cook (zucchini takes less time). Eat as is or dip in hummus. Great cold later!

Korean Marinade

works for chicken or beef (slice thinly)

4 green onions
1 tsp. ginger powder
1/4 tsp. garlic (granulated)
4 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 1/2 T. toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp. honey

Chop onions. Mix ingredients. Marinate meat for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Cook rapidly in a frying pan.

To make toasted sesame seeds: warm in a dry pan on high heat. Cook until lightly brown (not black). Stir constantly while heating seeds.

Almond Chicken

Sauce:
1 tsp. cornstarch
2-3 T. chicken broth
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. oyster sauce
1/2 T. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. ginger powder

Ingredients:
blanched almonds (optional)
1 green onion
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1/2 -1 carrot
1 stalk celery
1/2 can water chestnuts
2 cloves garlic
1 chicken breast

This is a small recipe that can be multiplied. Mix sauce together and set aside. Dice veggies and chicken into small bites (keep raw meat separate). In peanut oil fry chicken until done. Set aside. Clean pan. Add new oil. Stir fry carrot and onion until the onion becomes slightly transparent. Add all other vegetables. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken, almonds, and sauce. Fry until sauce bubbles. Serve.

Fajitas

1 onion
1 bell pepper
1 can refried beans
tortillas
1/2 lb. beef London broil (or chicken)
1 small container of sour cream
1 tomato
enchilada sauce (optional)
cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper
olive oil

Cut onion, bell pepper, and beef or chicken into thin strips. Warm beans, set aside. Put oil in pan and heat. Add onions and cook 2-4 minutes. Season, add bell peppers and cook 2 minutes. Season and add meat. Warm tortillas on a griddle. Assemble on a warm tortilla with fresh chopped tomatoes, cooked vegetable/meat mixture, enchilada sauce, beans, as desired.

Italian Chicken

1 large chicken breast for each two people
Italian dressing
provolone cheese

Put generous helping of dressing in frying pan and heat to medium. Cut chicken in half so it is thinner, not shorter or less wide. Put in pan, cook for 4-6 minutes. Add more dressing on top of chicken. Turn. Cook 2-4 minutes. Add 1/2 piece of cheese. Continue cooking until cheese is melted. Serve.

Easy Tomato Baked Chicken

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1 2 C. diced tomatoes
1/4 C. vinaigrette dressing
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Place onions in bottom of 9x13 baking dish; top with chicken. Combine tomatoes, dressing and garlic powder; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Makes 4 servings