Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

(Makes 12 muffins)

Preheat oven to 350 degF.

Combine:
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ginger

In a separate bowl, combine:
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Apple Sauce
1 Egg
1 tbsp Canola Oil
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 cups shredded Carrot

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine. Spoon into muffin pan and bake for 25 mins (check to make sure muffins are cooked through).

Pasta Puttanesca w/ Greens

Saute:
1 small thinly sliced Onion
2 cloves minced garlic
~1/2 tbsp Chili Flakes (vary for desired spiciness)
for a few minutes.

Add:
2-3 Anchovies or 2-3 tbsp Anchovy Paste
1/4 cup Red Wine or Water
and stir to mix.

Add:
14 oz can Diced Tomatoes
2 tbsp Capers
Large bunch of Chopped Greens (Kale, Beet Greens, etc.)
Salt
Pepper
and cook until greens are tender.

Add:
Black Olives
and combine with cooked pasta.

Cauliflower w/ Capers, Raisins, and Almonds

(Adapted from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/dining/181vrex.html?_r=1)

Toast in a pan until brown:
2 tbsp Sliced Almonds
and set aside.

Heat:
2 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Stock or Water
2 tbsp Raisins
and simmer for about 5 mins until raisins have absorbed most of the liquid.

Meanwhile, saute in olive oil:1 small or 1/2 large head of cauliflower
for a few minutes until browned.

Add:~1/4 cup of vegetable stock or water
and simmer covered until cauliflower is cooked and liquid is gone.

Combine cauliflower, raisins, and almonds and add:2 tbsp Capers
2 tsp Fresh Parsley
1/2 tsp Dried Tarragon or 1 tsp Fresh Tarragon
Salt
Pepper

Zucchini Fritters w/ Green Tomato Salsa

Combine:
1 Shredded Zucchini
1/2 cup Flour (I used half whole wheat flour and half ground quinoa)
1 Egg
~1/2 cup Milk (enough to make a batter)
1/8 tsp Cumin
1/8 tsp Coriander
Salt
Pepper

Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot frying pan with a bit of oil. Cook each side until it is browned.


Green Tomato Salsa

Combine:
1 Chopped Green Tomato
Kernels from 1 Cooked Cob of Corn
1/2 Diced Jalapeno

Combine and puree:
1/4 cup Lime Juice or Vinegar
2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro
1 tbsp Agave Syrup
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt

Combine vegetables and dressing a let sit for a while.

Shrimp Boil

Combine in a large pot:
~12 cups Water
1 Lemon (cut in half)
1 Head of Garlic (cut in half)
2 Onions (cut in quarters)
1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp Salt
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Chili Flakes
and simmer for about 10 mins. (Adjust amount of broth depending on quantities of potatoes, corn, and shrimp.)

Add:
Cubed Potatoes
and simmer until almost completely cooked.

Add:
Whole Ears of Corn (cut in half if necessary)
and simmer for about 2 mins.

Add:
Raw Shrimp (shells on)
and simmer for a few mins until they are cooked.

Drain and serve. (The broth can be saved and used in soups.)

Pasta with Zucchini and Goat Cheese

(Sorry no pics of this dish, but here's a fav of zucchini growing in my container garden)

Saute:
Sliced Zucchini
Minced Garlic
until thoroughly cooked.

Meanwhile, cook pasta (Fusilli and Farfalle work well).

While still hot, combine pasta and zucchini with:
Strips of Prosciutto (optional)
Goat Cheese
Salt
Pepper
and stir until cheese melts and forms a sauce.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

 

Wrap in cheesecloth:
2 cups Fat Free Yogurt
and let drain for 2 hours or more.

Combine in blender with:
1 1/2 cups Frozen or Fresh Strawberries
Agave Syrup (to taste)

Place in freezer and stir every half an hour until frozen to desired consistency.

Quinoa with Mushrooms

 



Saute until tender:
Sliced mushrooms (try a mixture of Crimini, Shitake, and Oyster)

Add to taste:
Sliced Scallions
Salt
Pepper
Sage
and cook a couple more minutes. Set aside.

Saute:
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed and drained)
1 clove Minced Garlic
for 5 mins.

Add
1/2 cup White Wine
and continue to cook for 2 mins.

Add
Hot Vegetable Stock
about 1/2 cup at a time every few minutes stirring occasionally until quinoa is cooked (will need about 1 1/2 cups).

Stir in mushroom mixture.

Top with:
Shredded Parmesan

(Serves 2-3)

Cucumber and Radish Salad

Combine:
Sliced Armenian Cucumber (or any other type of Cucumber; the Armenian is crisp and tasty)
Sliced Scallion
Thinly Sliced Radish
Crumbled Feta
Shredded Mint
Rice Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Arugula and Watermelon Salad

 

Combine:
Chopped Arugula
Cubed Watermelon
Crumbled Feta
Salt

Drizzle with:
Thick Aged Balsamic Vinegar (or Reduced Balsamic Vinegar)

Grilled Fish

Use about 3-4 anchovies or similar small fish per person.

Coat fish with:
Olive Oil

Grill over high flame for about 5 mins per side

Sprinkle with:
Salt
Pepper

Fresh Mozzarella, Arugula, and Tomato Salad

Combine:
Chopped Arugula
Chopped Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Shredded Basil
Olive Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper

(the just-made Mozzarella in the picture was so soft it melted a bit on the salad and was extra yummy)

Fennel Salad

Combine:
2 fennel bulbs thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
and let sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours if possible.

Add:
1 tbsp of olive oil
Handful of black olives (optional)
Handful of cubed mozzarella or other hard cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper

Chewy Snack Bars with Quinoa and Flax

(Adapted from "My Favorite Breakfast Bar" on www.veggiemealplans.com)

Preheat oven to 350degF.

Combine in a pan:
1/2 cup diced dried dates
1/2 cup water
and simmer on the stove for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Let it cool for a few minutes.

Combine:
5 teaspoons ground flaxseed (whole flaxseed can be ground in coffee grinder)
1/2 cup water
and let sit for 5 minutes.

Combine the date and flax mixtures.

Mix together:
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup roasted and ground quinoa (roasted in a dry pan for a few minutes and ground in coffee grinder)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup raisins

Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Coat a 9x9 baking pan with cooking spray and press in the mixture into the bottom of the pan. (Lining the pan with a sheet of wax paper makes it easier to get the cooked bars out of the pan.)

Bake for about 25 minutes and then let cool before removing from pan and cutting.