Broccoli Pumpkin Seed Salad

5 c chopped broccoli small bites
3 scallions with part of the green chopped
1/4 c diced carrot
1/2 c diced celery
1/4 c toasted pumpkin seeds

dressing
3 T vegan mayo
5 T champagne vinegar
1-2 T agave nectar
1 t balsamic vinegar

Mix all the dressing ingredients well and pour over the rest of the salad.  Refrigerate until ready to eat. This even gets better the next day.  Soooo good.

So much texture and flavor!

And I still have broccoli left so I kept on cooking.

Simple Roasted Broccoli

Chop the broccoli into large pieces
Place in a large bowl and drizzle olive oil to lightly coat and then toss in lots of chunky steak seasoning.
Heat oven to 425, spread broccoli on a sheet pan and cook for 15-25 mins until fork tender.  Look out the florets will burn if you leave in too long.

The Crop

Fresh tomato simmer sauce or Soup

3t minced garlic or more
2 leeks chopped fine
1 big onion chopped
2T olive oil
1 green bell pepper chopped
3-4 leaves kale chopped
12 big tomatoes or 3 cans unsalted diced tomatoes
2T fresh thyme or 2t dried
2c water
2 veg bouillon cube
1 sm can green chills
2 bay leaves
1.5 T dry basil
1 t black pepper
1 t salt
1/2 t dry rosemary
1 t cumin
1 T soy sauce
1/4 c red lentils
1/4 c dry split peas

In a large soup pot heat oil then cook the first 3 ingredients on low for 15 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours.  At this point you have a wonderful soup.  If you want a sauce, use a submersible wand blender and blend the soup to a less chunky texture.  It it is too watery,  cook uncovered until it thickens.  I chose to use this amazing stuff for a very healthy  lasagna.

I can always tell when the really cold weather has set in here in Wyoming.  Apart from not really wanting to venture outside very often, I find myself cooking stews and soups every week.  The comfort that I know I have a big pot of healthy, heartwarming stew in the fridge for the week makes lunches and the occasional dinner really easy.  Here’s what I cooked up Saturday.

White Bean and Barley Stew
Serves 4 or more

1 large onion chopped

1 ½  c chopped celery

1 t garlic chopped

1 red sweet pepper chopped

1 T olive oil

1 can no salt diced tomatoes

2 cans great northern beans- rinsed

1 carton 32oz  organic chicken or Veg stock

1/3 c uncooked barley

2 bay leaves

1 t oregano

1 t basil

½ t marjoram

1 t sea salt

1 t pepper

½ t or more red pepper flakes

2 T dry parsley or 1/3 c fresh- chopped

In a large soup pot, add the oil and the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the rest of the chopped vegs and cook 10 mins on medium.  Now add the rest of the ingredients, stir well, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer (low) and cook for an hour.  Serve with hot sauce if you are so inclined.  Yummy.  This could also be done in a slow cooker on low heat all day.

Other good ideas…

Fresh spinach would be great added before serving.

Tomato sauce would work well.

A squirt of lemon before serving would be yummy too.

Enjoy!

–Jamie

Simple Mexican Pasta

Serves  6

1 lb ground venison or lean beef

1 large onion chopped

1 small can diced green chilis

2 t chopped garlic – about 3 cloves

2 cans no salt diced tomatoes

1 6 oz can V8 juice or small can of tomato sauce

1 ½ c pinto or black beans

2 c cooked rigatoni pasta

2 t chopped garlic or 3 cloves

1 t onion powder

2 t cumin

1 t Worcestershire sauce

½ t marjoram

1 t basil

1 t sea salt

1 T chili powder

¾ c shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot brown the meat and the onions together.  Add all the seasonings and ingredients except for the pasta and cheese.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.  Before serving, add the cooked pasta and the cheese.  Mix well and serve when the cheese is melted.

Use Our Google Secure Check out

Squeaky Gourmet educates the reader on carbohydrates, fats and proteins–explaining the importance of each of these food groups. Food knowledge along with fantastic recipes, Squeaky Gourmet includes fantastic tips on how to effectively cook to save time and prepare healthy meals all week long for your family.

Buy Your Copy Today! Available in all book stores both online as well as in stores. If you do not see it on the shelf, ask the store to order it for you!

• • Squeaky Gourmet advocates healthy fats that improve your overall health.
  • Each recipe includes natural, wholesome foods that are easy to purchase in your local store.
  • The protein choices are not limited to strictly low fat chicken breast boredom, instead we have included ingredients like wild game and fresh caught fish.
  • Squeaky Gourmet includes menu items that you can share at an office party, offer to dinner guests or even share as a holiday food gift.

In the organic whole food section of the store I purchased dates, almonds, dried coconut, dried cranberries, and more gluten free oats. At home I knew I had this protein powder in the pantry that was really unfriendly in most of the recipes I had tried with it. I guess I am not a banana creme lover after all–don’t tell the monkeys.

So, back at home I go–ingredients in the car and ideas in my head. First I knew I wanted to soak the almonds, oats and dates. The oats to remove some sort of acid a friendly blogger mentioned to me–what acid it was–no idea (details escape my ADHD brain). Perhaps she will be kind enough to chime in to remind me! I had to soak the dates to make them easier to use as a paste and the almonds were to be soaked to make them less flavorful–ok, just kidding, I soaked the nuts because it is the thing to do! ( I forgot why)

I am super glad I did soak all of them because the results were a benefit to the end results. The oats with the dates made a fantastic paste that just blended so well together. The soaked almonds added a different texture to the end result that made it feel more earth like and natural, more wholesome. I liked it! I soaked them all for 30 minutes, however, the dates were soaked in hot water, nuts and oats in cold water.

After the soaking and draining, I removed the pits from the dates and added those along with the soaked oats to the hand blender blender. (Dear Santa if you can see this, please may I have a food processor for the holidays?)The oats were really in no need of draining as they plumped right up and absorbed more water than I thought they even would! Once these were fully blended into a paste I added that paste to the stand mixer. I tossed in some dried cranberries, some dried unsweetened coconut and an egg and let that blend together.

While that was mixing I took out my handy dandy coffee grinder (which has never seen a coffee bean) and ground up those soaked almonds into a chucky meal of sorts. You can see how there are still considerable chunks in the grinder along with tiny little almond fragments. I added this right into the stand mixer as well. Then I threw in the protein powder and some cinnamon then watched as it made the dough. I was apprehensive and curious–like a mad scientist waiting to see if the creature would live. I thought about short circuiting the outlet to give the bowl a charge but thought better of it. I then remembered to add some xanthan gum to the batch to make sure once it was baked it would still all be as one versus a bunch of weird lumps of granola or something.

I lightly greased a pie pan ( do not use a pie pan, use a 9×9 pan) I dumped my new creation into the pan. You can click the image of the blob to see what it looks like. Very, um, blob like with lumps of goodies poking out. I then wet my hands (if you cook gluten free you should know this trick) and began smoothing out the dough with my wet hands. Wet hands do not get the dough stuck to them. Nifty, right?

I then took the pan and placed it in the oven and laughed maniacally while rubbing my hands together. I was alone in the house so this was OK behavior. I baked this for 35 minutes, until the edges were brown and the top golden. When I sliced this up and took some out I thought–hey these look like Biscotti! So, I plated some and took some pictures and then threw them onto a non-stick pan and placed them back in the oven to toast them up.

You could certainly serve these after the first baking, they smelled so wonderful and had great texture–chewy and crunchy. I just wanted to see what they would do if I baked them again. I left them in for 25 minutes with the oven still on 350 degrees and checked them for burning while they cooked.

I was very pleased with the end result, as were the kids and the hubby. This is a keeper for sure and I will be making these in batches to freeze for breakfast bars. These will now be a part of a healthy breakfast in our New Hampshire home!

Biscotti Protein Bars
serves 9
13 whole dates
1 cup oats
1 1/2 cups protein powder
1 cup raw almonds
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 large egg
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 TBL cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla

Calories Per 2 cookies-360
Fat- 14 grams
Carbohydrates- 30 grams
Fiber- 7 grams
Protein – 32 grams

Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Buns
serves 12
1 batch of raw GF bread dough + 1 tsp cinnamon added to the dough & 2 tsp vanilla
2 apples washed and chopped
2 tsp vanilla
1 tbls Agave Nectar
1 tsp salt
Topping- 8 ounces Greek yogurt I used no fat vanilla.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees slightly grease a baking dish–I used butter as really it is a scant amount but does add a flavor to the finished product. Add diced apples, cinnamon,vanilla, agave nectar, salt and cinnamon to a bowl and mix. The salt really allows the apples to “sweat it out” and adds a unique twist to the bun when finished. Since this is a lower in fat (naturally) as well as low in sugar recipe–the salt balances out what your taste buds may otherwise feel is missing.Set apples aside. Fill a 1/4 measuring cup about 2/3 full with the bread dough and place in your baking pan–repeat to make sure you have 12 even sized raw lumps of dough.

Next wet a wooden spoon and press out a center for the apples to be placed in the buns. The wet spoon prevents the batter from adhering to the spoon and smooths the dough out perfectly.

After the bread “bowl” is created you want to fill it with the apple mix. After filling all 12 buns you want to cover this and set in a warm area and allow to rise till about double in size–this takes about 45 minutes. I just cover mine and set them on the stove top while the oven preheats. Of course since it takes so long to rise–feel free to toss some potatoes into the oven to bake for your meals later in the day!

You can see here how much the dough has risen–air pockets can be seen and the dough has a “puffy” look to it. Perfect! Go ahead now and place these in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until they are golden brown on the tops and edges.

These were served with warm so the vanilla yogurt really just melted and filled all the crevices. The apples were caramel like in texture and really flavor filled!

Calories Per Bun- 170
Carbohydrates- 36
Fiber-6 grams
Fat-6 grams
Protein- 2 grams

Other Good Ideas:
–bake large batches for bake sales and to bring to holiday events
–double the batch and freeze half of them so you can pop them in the oven without waiting for all the work to be done.
–try pumpkin filling instead of apples

Just for kicks there are 309 calories in a traditional cinnamon bun with 13 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbs with 2 grams fiber, and 5 grams protein. So we just about halved the calories and added in some more fiber and less fat and carbohydrates.

I wanted to make something by using what I had in the pantry and freezer. I hadn’t had edamame in a while so it turned up in an easy salad.

Edamame corn salad
1 c Organic frozen corn- cook by following directions on bag and let cool
1 c Organic edamame- cook just like the corn and let cool
½ c diced carrots
1 T soy sauce
4 drops sesame oil
1 T flax or olive oil
1 T toasted sesame seeds
2 T rice wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything together in a small bowl and enjoy.

Other ideas: onion, scallions or bell peppers would be great in here.

Cheers,

Jamie

This recipe is part of Real Food Wednesday–check out more real food tips and ideas by visiting the blog carnival!