Appetizers
Roasted Chickpea Poppers
Ingredients:
2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
Instructions:
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2.Take skins off by putting chickpeas in a bowl of water and they will come right off when you rub them with our fingertips. Drain the chickpeas and dry well with a towel or in salad spinner.
3.Toss to coat the chickpeas with the olive oil, spices, and sea salt. Roast in a pan for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crispy. Enjoy immediately while they are hot and crispy!
White Bean Dip
Ingredients:
•1 can (15-oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed...
•2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
•2 Tbsp. olive oil
•1 small clove garlic, minced
•1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
•1/8-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
•2 Tbsp. water
•salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and serve alongside crackers, veggie chips or vegetable sticks. Enjoy!
Breakfast
Apple Kale Muffins
(Makes 12)
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn cinnamon
1/2 tspn nutmeg
1⁄3 cup raw honey
1 egg
1/3 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 1⁄2 cups finely processed apples (I put mine in the Vitamix for a few seconds)
1 cup finely chopped kale
1⁄2 cup nuts or dried fruit. I used chopped walnuts.
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400.
-In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt and spices.
-In another bowl, mix honey, vanilla, egg, yogurt, oil, apples, kale, nuts.
-Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir.
-Fill 12 greased muffin cups 2/3 full.
-Bake for 15 minutes or until a fork inserted in the muffin comes out clean.
-Enjoy!
Chicken
Homemade Chicken Stock
(Makes right around 3 quarts - give or take)
What you will need:
* 10 quart sauce pot
* Chicken carcass and parts if you have them ( I used the carcass from my Costco rotisserie chicken)
* 2 large yellow onions
* 4 Carrots, peeled
* 3 ribs of celery (leaves and all)
* 1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
* 8 black peppercorns
Instructions:
* Put your chicken parts in your stock pot and cover with water. Add a few extra cups because some of the liquid will evaporate. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Once it has boiled turn down to a simmer and with aladle or a spoon skim off the scum and chicken fat that has risen to the top.
* While you are waiting for the water and chicken to come to a boil, rough chop the onions, carrots, and celery (leave them big and chunky).
* Place all the rough chopped vegetables in with the chicken and water.
* Next add the bouquet garni: 3 fresh sprigs fresh thyme, 8 sprigs and stems fresh parsley and one dried bay leaf (you can tie together or let float).
* Add 8 black peppercorns; bruise peppercorns with flat side of your chefs knife.
* After stock has simmered fora minimum of 8 hours and up to 24 (you want it to be nice and rich), turn off the heat. (If you don't want to leave it on overnight, you can put in the fridgeat the end of thefirst dayand start again in the AM. You are only on a simmer though so I just left it on all night).
* Put a strainer over a big pot and strain out all of the big pieces first, discard the chicken and veggies. Then cover your strainer with cheese clothe, or paper towel and strain a few more times to get out the smaller particles (if using paper towel change).
* Chill the stock uncovered in an ice bath or in a refrigerator, until the fat congeals on the surface. Scrape off with a spatula or spoon.
When the stock is cooled portion into 1 quart containers, date, label and freeze for future use.
One Pot Chicken
Ingredients: Chicken (we used a breast and a few thighs - you want a few bone in's cause that richens the flavor), 1 can of white beans or pinto beans, 1-1.5 containers of grape tomatoes, basil, red potatoes, mushrooms, onions, garlic, olive oil and seasoning.
Directions:
* Pre-heat oven to 350
* Leave the garlic in the skins and use almost a whole head but remove them from the head. Mix them with the basil, tomatoes, and some olive oil and put them in the bottom of a casserole dish or baking dish.
* Next olive oil, salt and pepper your chicken and put it in the baking dish.
* Next add your other veggies like: Mushrooms, onions (and anything else you may want)
* Bake in the over un-covered for app 1.5 hours
* I quarter the potatoes and put them in with about 1 hour left to go or they may get to mushy
* Add the beans with app 30 mins left to go
* When it comes out remove the garlic from the skins and serve in bowls so you can get some of that good liquid with it!
So yummy and awesome for a chilly night! You can really alter this recipe to include your favorite veggies and spices!
Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
Servings: 10
(202 calories per serving)
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 8-oz can tomato sauce (used a 16 oz can)
10 oz package frozen corn kernels (used 2 small cans of corn kernels)
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies (used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chili peppers, chopped (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with a small amount of low fat cheese or sour cream.
Dessert
Skinny Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
(Makes 12 muffins. Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Muffins freeze well up to 3 months: heat up for 1 minute after frozen.)
(App. 178 calories per muffin)
Ingredients
•3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
•1/2 cup sugar
•1/4 cup honey
•2 large egg whites (or 1 large egg)
•3/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt, plain or vanilla)
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•1/2 cup whole wheat flour
•1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, plus a few more for sprinkling on top
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine applesauce, sugar, honey, egg whites, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk them all together until smooth, with no yogurt lumps remaining.
3. Sift the flours, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together. Slowly stir in the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Get any dry pockets of flour out. Fold in the mini chocolate chips. The batter will be a little chunky. This is ok.
4. Divide the batter evenly amount in the muffin tin or 12 liners -- fill them all the way to the top if you can. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature down to 375, and continue to bake for 13 more minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin. If it comes out clean, they are done. If not, bake for only 2 more minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Try these awesome Healthier Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (My oven tends to run cooler so I bumped it up to 375) In a medium sized bowl stir together the peanut butter, honey, and brown sugar. Do NOT warm up the peanut butter or the honey. Add in the oats, salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Stir well. In a separate bowl lightly beat the egg and then add it to the mixture. Stir in desired add-ins (I used a peanut butter and chocolate chip mixture), but you can use dark chocolate chips, raisins, craisins, peanuts, etc. to make these even healthier and more breakfast worthy. The mixture will be thick and hard to stir. Continue stirring until combined and then use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough. Press the dough very tightly in the cookie scoop to form the balls. Without a cookie scoop these tend to crumble. If not using a cookie scoop you will have to work with the dough a little bit more by squeezing it into a ball. Form the balls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes. (Again my oven runs cooler so I had to add time to these. I added 3 mins at a time and kept checking them) Took them off when bottoms were browned. Remove and allow to cool completely.
with a gluten free option. This recipe is a keeper for sure!
Salads
Warm Balsamic Brussels Salad
Here's what you will need for this recipe ...
* Brussels sprouts
* Walnuts (app 1/2 cup roughly chopped)
* Garlic (to preference)
* Dried cherries or cranberries( app 1/4 cup)
* Pomegranate seeds (app 1/3 - 1/4cup)
* Fetacheese (sprinkle on top to liking)
* Coconut oil ( just over 1 Tbs)
* Balsamic (1/2 cup)
* Honey (1 Tbs)
* 1/4 lime and zest
* Seasoning (my go to is pink salt, ground pepper, garlic granules andtoasted onion granules)
You should first understand that I can't make Brussels sprouts and not make Brussels chips. You are going to peel off the outer layer anyway, so why not make a yummy appetizer out of them!?
*Pre heat oven to app 375 degrees.
* First cut the bottoms off the Brussels and discard them.
* Put all the petals into a bowl and add a light amount of EVO and seasoning (I used pink salt, ground pepper and garlic granules) and toss with your hand, making sure everything is evenly coated.
* Take out baking sheet and place parchment paper down. Put Brussels on the tray and bake for about 10 mins to start. The petals will be different sizes so you may have to take some of the smaller ones off earlier. Gauge your cooking time appropriately.
* The key is to only slightly brown them. There is a fine line and once you've crossed it, the chip will turn bitter. It's better to be under than over.
Once completed, put out as an appetizer for your guests to enjoy while you work on the salad.
Instructions for the salad:
* First chop the Brussels into quarter (halves if they are smaller) and place into a bowl.
* I melted app 2 tsp of coconut oil and put that over the Brussels and tossed them in it. I then seasoned them with pink salt, ground pepper, garlic granules and toasted onion granules.
* Heatedmy largesauté pan to med heat and added a little coconut oil to coat the bottom of my pan and added the Brussels. Stir somewhat frequently. You want a nice brown to them.
* While that was going I heated my smaller sauté pan to med and added the walnuts. I drizzled with a little bit of EVO and seasoned with a dash of toasted onion granules. You'll only need about 5-7 minutes to toast these. Just remove them from the heat when you're done.
* I am a huge garlic fan so this is optional. I did a rough chop to 5 garlic cloves and added them to the Brussels about 1/2 way through. You could also chop the garlic if you didn't want chunks.
~While this was finishing I made the dressing:
*1/2 cup of Balsamic vinegar
* 1 Tbs honey
* Juice from a lime wedge and some lime zest
* Chopped clove of garlic
* Pink salt, ground pepper, garlic granules, toasted onion granules
* Get a big bowl and add the Brussels, toasted walnuts, dried cherries and pomegranate seeds.
* Pour over the dressing and toss the salad until it's coated.
* Serve with feta on top.
Turkey
Turkey Joes (Serves 6)
Ingredients: 1 pound of ground turkey,1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder, 1 tsp. of prepared mustard, 3/4 cup ketchup, 3 tsp. brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
Directions:
*In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
*Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
-These are so delicious and your kids will love them! Making your sauce with just a few ingredients will cut down on unwanted artificial ingredients you'd get by purchasing a sauce in a jar and it's super easy! Pair it with a whole wheat or gluten free bun to make it healthier still!
Vegetarian
Creamy Chickpea Pasta Casserole
NOTE: May be frozen.
YIELD:Makes 4 servings
DIETARY TYPE: Gluten-free, vegan
INGREDIENTS
For the topping:
1/4 cup (60 ml) raw natural almonds, with skin
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) Erewhon Corn Flakes cereal
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) paprika
For the Filling:
2 cups (480 ml) pre-cooked rice pasta (elbows or fusilli are nice), room temperature (you can use leftover)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (15 m) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
3/4 cup (120 g) raw cashews
6 tablespoons (60 g) raw natural almonds, with skin
4 teaspoons (20 ml) white or light miso
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup (180 ml) vegetable broth or stock
3/4 cup (180 ml) unsweetened plain almond or soy milk
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) paprika
1 cup (240 ml) cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)
1/2 cup (120 ml) frozen green peas
INSTRUCTIONS
*Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 1.5 quart (1.5 liter) casserole dish with coconut oil or spray with nonstick spray. Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl and set aside.
*In the bowl of a food processor, process the 1/4 cup (60 ml) raw almonds, corn flakes and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) paprika until the texture of coarse bread crumbs (it’s okay if tiny bits of almond are still visible). Set aside.
*In a medium frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*While the onion cooks, place the cashews, 6 tablespoons (60 g) of almonds, miso, lemon juice, broth, milk and final 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) paprika in a blender and blend until silky smooth.
To the pasta in the bowl, add the onion mixture, blended mixture, chickpeas, peas and 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the topping from the food processor (save the rest of the topping to sprinkle on top of the casserole). Stir the pasta until well coated and the ingredients are distributed in the sauce. Turn into the prepared casserole dish.
*Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining topping from the food processor. Bake 25-30 minutes, until heated through.
One Pan Mexican Quinoa
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Yield 4 servings What you will need ... Ingredients Instructions
Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers with Avocado
Sweet potatoes are packed full of nutritional value, and burgers make for such a satisfying meal, so why not combine the two into one delicious feed? This recipe does just that while being highly customizable – just add or subtract the toppings to your taste. We highly recommend keeping the avocado for a beautiful creamy contrast with the sweet and crunchy sweet potato patties though!
Ingredients (Makes 7-8 large patties)
◾ 2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
◾ 1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
◾ 2 Tbs tahini
◾ 2 tsp. maple or agave syrup
◾ 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or your favorite spices)
◾ 1/4 cup wheat flour
◾ Plentiful Panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
◾ Safflower oil for pan
◾Multigrain buns
◾ Burger toppings: avocado, Dijon mustard, onion, olive oil, rocket/spinach/lettuce leaves, tomato
◾Optional: additional seasoning such as cayenne pepper or nutritional yeast, salt
Method
1. Peel and bake sweet potato, then place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbs safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat thickly with Panko crumbs, then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
7. Serve on toasted bun with your choice of burger toppings
Vegan
Easy Thai Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash
This recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and uses no refined sugar. The peanut sauce makes a great dip as well.Here is the low down on Easy Thai Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash
olive oil or coconut oil
salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro (I used chives)
2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
Peanut Sauce:
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
2/3 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or liquid Braggs Aminos)
2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons red curry paste
Directions
Spaghetti Squash:
Here is a little trick to cook your squash in half the time! Cut some vent slices into it in a few places and microwave for 5 mins at a time (will be 10-15 total depending on the size of the squash and your microwave). What you are looking for is for it to be soft, but not too soft or mushy. This will make it much easier to cut in half and you'll only need a few minutes in the oven.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Half the squash and scoop out the seeds.
Drizzle inside with olive oil and seasoning. I usedpink salt, pepper, garlic granules andtoastedgarlic granules.Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for app 10-15 minutes (if you par-cooked it. Also will depend on the size of the squash.)
Peanut Sauce:
Place all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then turn down to low and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring almost constantly. Take off heat to cool sauce. When spaghetti squash is done roasting, take it out from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then, using a fork, scrape out the spaghetti squash strands. If your squash is very moist, you might have to place the strands in a colander and pat with paper towel. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped parsley and 1/4 cup of the peanut sauce pan and combine. Add spaghetti squash and crushed peanuts, stir to combine and cook until heated through (about 2 minutes). Plate and garnish with a little more crushed peanuts and chopped parsley. Serve right away.
