Christmas Snowman Cookies

 

Snowman Cookies

Ingredients:

½ box Ritz crackers

1 jar creamy peanut butter

1 package white melting chocolate

1 bag semi-sweet mini morsels

1 package orange tic-tacs

Directions:

Spread peanut butter on cracker and put another cracker on top to make peanut butter sandwiches. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for one minute. Stir with a spoon until smooth.

Cover a platter with wax paper. 

Dip sandwich in chocolate. Place tic-tac in middle for the nose, two mini morsels on top for the eyes, and five mini morsels for the mouth. Repeat until all chocolate and sandwiches are used.

Refrigerate and enjoy!

Veggie Burgers

Veggie Burgers 

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped spinach or kale

½ cup scallions

2 garlic cloves – minced

¼ cup yellow onion- chopped

1 large egg

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Cooking spray

salt and pepper

 

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Directions:

Cook you quinoa according to package directions. While the quinoa is cooking,  heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes on medium low. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the chopped carrots and let cook for about 2.

 

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In a large bowl, mix the quinoa, cooked vegetables, chopped spinach or other green, scallions, flour, egg, and salt and pepper. 

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Cover a dish with wax paper. Form 4 patties with the mixture and place on wax paper. Put the patties in the freezer for 10-12 minutes (until firm).

 Spray a large skillet with cooking spray (or can use olive oil). Heat on medium. Place the burgers on the skillet. Let cook for 4 minutes and flip over. Let other side cook for 4-5 minutes.

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Serve on toasted hamburger bun, pita bread, or salad. It also goes well with tzatziki sauce, ranch, or ketchup. 

Green Goddess Rice

Green Goddess Rice

Ingredients:

½ cup quinoa

½ cup brown rice

1 cup vegetable broth

3 cups water

1 clove garlic – minced

¼ cup green onion – sliced thinly

1 medium zucchini – shredded (I use the large cheese grater)

½ can artichoke hearts in water – drained and chopped into 1/4ths

½ cup frozen peas – dethawed

1/3 cup pistachios

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fresh basil leaves or fresh citrus oregano tastes great too

Directions:

Rinse and drain the quinoa and rice. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the quinoa and rice. Lower heat to medium-low and stir to toast for 3 minutes. Slowly add the vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low.

Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes (until tender).  You may need to add more water as the rice cooks and absorbs the liquid.

Meanwhile, shell the pistachios and toast in a pan over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the rice is done cooking, turn the heat to low. Add the green onion, pistachios, shredded zucchini, dethawed peas, and artichoke heats. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and make sure all the ingredients are heated throughout. Serve and top with shredded parmesan cheese and fresh herbs.

Stuffed Acorn Squash - 2 ways

Stuffed Acorn Squash (2 ways)

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

2 cups fresh or frozen kale

1/3  cup good crumbly cheese – I used a cheese that had dried cranberries in it. Feta or your favorite cheese would work well.

Cooking Spray

Salt and Pepper

¼ lb ground turkey

 1 clove garlic – minced

¼ onion chopped or 1 tsp onion powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Microwave the acorn squash for two minutes. Cut the squash in half and clean out seeds and strings. Wash the seeds and reserve for roasting.

Lay the squash cut side down in a baking dish with 1/3 cup water. Bake for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile season the seeds with salt, pepper, and maybe some spice if you like. Spray a large baking dish. Spread seeds over and spray the seeds with cooking spray. Let roast for 8 minutes.

Steam the kale and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions, stir for 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook for another minutes. Add the ground turkey and cook until light brown – about 6 minutes.  Drain any excess fat.

In one bowl mix the turkey, half the cheese and half the kale. Season with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl mix the kale and cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the squash from the oven. Stuff each squash with the mixtures and top with the roasted seeds. Heat oven to 425 and cook the squash for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Creamy Kale Pesto

This is our new favorite pasta sauce. We seriously can not get enough of it! We like it with pasta, couscous, quinoa, and goes great with veggies, crispy shrimp or chicken, or just eating it cold out of the fridge the next day!! I made this with mushroom pasta noodles, crispy shrimp (recipe to come soon) and topped it with parmesan cheese for Mike's birthday. He loved this birthday present : ) 

 

Creamy Kale Pesto Sauce

Ingredients for Creamy Kale Pesto:

1 ½ cups frozen Kale (or can use fresh- just skip the defrosting step)

1 tablespoon smart balance light

2 garlic cloves – minced

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 ½ cups skim milk

½ cup water

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Defrost Kale according to package directions. I use a veggie steamer in the microwave and add about 2-3 tablespoons water.

Do not drain the water after cooking.  Pulse the kale in food processor until smooth. This usually takes a few minutes to make sure there are not big chunks.  Set aside.

Melt smart balance butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and whisk on medium low for 3 minutes. Add garlic and let cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.

Slowly add in milk, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk for 4 minutes on medium low heat. Turn up the heat to medium high, whisk for 2 1/2 minutes.

Add the cornstarch and continue to whisk until thick (this only takes about 30 seconds).

Turn the heat back down to low, add the kale, water, nutritional yeast, and onion powder. Stir on low for 6-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 Serve generous helpings on top of pasta, chicken, shrimp, quinoa, couscous, veggies or sometimes we eat this by itself.

Eggplant Stew Served Over Parmesan Polenta Grits

 

Eggplant Stew over Corn Polenta Grits

Ingredients for Eggplant Stew:

2 small or 1 large eggplant sliced lengthwise

4 tomatoes chopped into ¼ inch pieces

1/3 yellow onion – chopped

½ shallot - minced

2 garlic gloves – minced

2 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese to top when serving

Ingredients for Grits:

1 cup fresh ground polenta grits

4 cups water

1 cup corn (can use fresh, frozen, or canned – I used frozen but I think a fresh roasted corn would taste better!)

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions for eggplant stew:

Pre-Heat oven to 375.

Sprinkle salt on eggplant slices and place in a colander for 20 minutes.

Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Lay eggplant in dish and spray the top with cooking spray. Let roast for 20 minutes.

Remove from over, let cool before handling and cut the slices into ¼ inch pieces.

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot. Add the onions and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the shallot and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes (with their juices) and cook on medium low for 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and the oregano.

Stir and cover pot. Stir occasionally and let cook on low for 25-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper at the end to taste.

Directions for Polenta grits:

Boil 3 cups of water. Add the grits and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring back to boil.

Stir and then cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer for 15-18 minutes. Add the corn and parmesan cheese and remove pan from heat.

Spoon grits onto plate, top with stew, and garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Eggplant Pesto Involtini

 

Eggplant Pesto Involtini

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant (sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch)

2 medium balls of fresh mozzarella cheese – sliced thin

1/3 cup pesto

2 ½ cups marinara sauce

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

Fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese to top

Cooking spray

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 350.

Mix eggplant with a small amount of salt and let sit in a colander for 20 minutes.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Lay eggplant out in rows. Spray a light coating of cooking spray on top of the eggplant. Bake the eggplant for 22 minutes. 

Spoon the marinara sauce in a large baking dish.

 

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Remove from oven and place on a cutting board. Spread ½ tablespoon of pesto on each eggplant. Place 2 slices of mozzarella cheese in the middle of each eggplant and roll tightly.  Place eggplant rolls on top of marinara. Sprinkle with dried basil and oregano.

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Bake on 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. Top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.  

Brussels Sprouts Cranberry Walnut Quinoa

 

Brussels Sprout Cranberry Walnut Quinoa

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 cups Brussels sprouts (sliced into 4ths)

1 cup chopped eggplant (or any other vegetable you have)

½ cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup chopped green onions (scallions)

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons peach balsamic vinaigrette

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 375.

Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, Brussels sprouts, salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and roast for 30 minutes. (Add your other veggies you are using accordingly)

Toast chopped walnuts in a small pan over medium low heat for 5 minutes.

Combine vegetables, quinoa, 2 tablespoons olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, walnuts, cranberries, salt and pepper. Serve and top with Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Vegetable Farro

 

 

Roasted Vegetable Farro

Ingredients:

1/2 eggplant, cut into ½” pieces

1 zucchini, cut into ½” pieces

1 large or 15 baby carrots, chopped

¼ viola sweet onion

2 tablespoon olive oil plus 2 teaspoons for later

2 cups faro

4 cups water

1 tablespoons peach balsamic vinegar

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons pine nuts

fresh basil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 375.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized pot. Add onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add farro and cook for another minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn to simmer and cover the pot with a lid for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking on low for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat and allow all the water to become absorbed.

Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Add eggplant and spray with cooking spray. Roast in oven for 9 minutes.  Add the carrots, spray with cooking spray and lightly coat eggplant and carrots with salt and pepper. Return to oven and let cook for another 12 minutes. Add the zucchini. Continue to roast for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.

Lightly toast pine nuts in small pan on stovetop for 4 minutes.

Mix Farro, balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons olive oil, roasted vegetables, salt and pepper, and pine nuts. Serve and top with fresh basil and crumbed feta cheese. Enjoy!!

Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan Pasta

 

Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan Pasta

Ingredients:

½ large eggplant, cut into ½” size pieces

2 roma tomatoes – chopped and seeded

½ viola sweet onion – diced

2 gloves garlic – diced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups marinara sauce

¾ cup water

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh basil

fresh mozzarella balls (cut into small bite size pieces)

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

cooking spray

parmesan cheese – grated for topping

2 cups noodles

Directions:

 Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add the eggplant, onion, and one teaspoon salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes. (Make sure your heat isn’t too high or it will burn the onions.) Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and let cook for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and rinse.

Heat small skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and add panko breadcrumbs. Cook and stir for about 4 minutes until the crumbs become crispy. Remove from heat.

Mix the mozzarella cheese into the eggplant mixture. Serve over noodles and top with fresh basil, panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

White Bean, Kale, and Ciabatta Soup

 

White Bean, Kale, and Ciabatta Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups dried white beans

2 cups frozen kale

¼ loaf day old Ciabatta bread (tear in ½ inch chunks)

3 cups vegetable broth

fresh sage – about 10 pieces

4 garlic cloves (crushed)

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

½ tbsp kosher salt

pepper

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Directions:

Soak beans in water over night. Drain and Rinse. In a large pot bring beans, water, and broth to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and add sage, garlic, and bay leaf.  Simmer beans for an hour. Add salt and cook for another 20 minutes.

Add the Kale to the beans and cook on medium low for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and add Ciabatta bread. Cover pot with lid and let sit for 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Serve and top with a drizzle of olive oil and shaved parmesan cheese.