Recipes
Here are a few of my classic, favorite recipes. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
Trader Joe's Simple Greens
1 lb. Southern Greens Blend or any greens
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. vegetable broth
1 c. tomato juice
salt, pepper, marjoram to taste
grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil in a large pot. Add vegetable broth and tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Add greens and seasonings. Cover and simmer
over low heat for 35 minutes or until tender.
Mediterranean Cod Skillet
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 thinly sliced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes or one fresh tomato
1/2 c. sliced black olives
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 lb. cod or tilapia filets
In large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Stir in tomatoes, olives, parsley, and wine. Simmer 5 minutes. Place filets on sauce.
Simmer 5 minutes more or until fish turns white. Serve over pasta (preferably whole grain or quinoa) or brown basmati rice.
Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 c. organic unbleached un-enriched all natural white flour (Hodgson Mill is available at
Wal-Mart)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/2 c. organic unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. Earth Balance buttery spread or 1/2 c. organic butter
1/2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. organic Sucanat (at Whole Foods or natural food stores)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or almonds, optional
Set oven to 375˚. Mix flours, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside. Mix applesauce, butter spread, sugar,
Sucanat and vanilla in large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by teaspoonfuls and bake on greased cookie sheet for 9 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen.
Tomato Pie
1 unbaked 10” pie shell
2 large tomatoes in ½-inch slices
flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup sliced green onions
½ cup sliced ripe olives
3 slices provolone cheese
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup evaporated milk
Prick pie shell. Bake at 350˚ for 8 min. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Coat on both sides with flour. Saute in hot oil til brown. Set aside 2 tablespoons onions. Sprinkle remaining onion and olives in shell. Top with provolone and tomatoes. Combine eggs, cheddar, milk. Mix. Pour over. Sprinkle with onions. Bake at 375˚ for 40-45 minutes.
Gazpacho
4 large tomatoes, peeled
2 large cucumbers
2 medium onions
2 medium green peppers
48 oz. can tomato juice
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
½ tsp. Tabasco
3 tsp. salt
½ tsp. coarse black pepper
4 gloves garlic
1 cup croutons
½ cup chopped chives
fresh parsley
In blender, combine 3 tomatoes, 1.5 cucumbers, 1.25 onions, 1.25 green peppers, 1 cup tomato juice. Blend at high speed for 30 seconds. In a large bowl, mix pureed vegetables with remaining tomato juice, ½ cup olive oil, vinegar, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Refrigerate mixture for 2 hours. Rub a skillet with garlic. Add rest of oil, sauté the croutons til browned. Set aside.
Chop up remaining vegetables and place in bowls along with croutons and chives to be served as accompaniment. Add crushed garlic to soup before serving.
Broccoli Salad
5 cups broccoli, chopped (about 1 big bundle)
1 small red onion, diced
½ cup grated feta cheese
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, peanuts or cashews, lightly salted
1/3 cup raisins or cran raisins
Mix all and then do dressing. Mix together and refrigerate.
Dressing:
1 cup real mayonnaise, or vegenaise or nayonaise
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
¼ cup sucanat
Heat vinegar and sugar to dissolve sugar. Mix with mayo and toss into broccoli mix; refrigerate.
Pumpkin Muffins
3 1/3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2/3 cup water
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
Bake at 350˚ degrees -- 1 hour for loaves; 27-30 minutes for large muffins.
Three Cheese Farfalle Gratin
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
1½ cups milk
1 28-oz can whole Italian tomatoes, drained, chopped (reserve 1.25 cups juice)
¼ cup chopped basil
1/8 tsp. red pepper
salt and pepper
14 oz. Antoine’s Farfalle, cooked and drained
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
4 oz. Romano cheese, grated (reserve 1/3 C)
½ cup finely chopped parsley
Butter a shallow 3-4 quart baking dish. Preheat to 375˚. In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add flour and cook, whisking, 2 minutes. Add milk and reserved tomato juice, whisking until well-blended. Bring to a boil and stir in tomatoes, basil, red pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer sauce until thickened, about 3 minutes. In a bowl combine freshly cooked Farfalle, sauce, mozzarella, feta, 1 cup romano, and parsley, and spoon into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle pasta with remaining 1/3 cup romano. Bake farfalle 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Serves 6.
Spinach Quiche
1 10 oz pkg chopped spinach
1 4 oz cream cheese
1 slice cheese
6 eggs
2 Tbs onion
1 Tbsp parsley
pie shell
Thaw spinach. Drain well. Mix everything together and pour into pie shell. Bake 12 minutes at 425˚.
30-Minute Red Lentil Soup
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 cups dried split red lentils
¾ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. grated ginger root
1.5 tsp. garam marsala
1 14-oz can light coconut milk
½ cup minced cilantro
3 plum tomatoes for garnish
In a large, lidded saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the broth, water, dried lentils and ½ tsp salt, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add onion and remaining ¼ tsp salt and cook 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger root and garam masala and cook about 1 minutes until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and the broth-lentil mixture, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium or low and cook about 15 minutes, until lentils are tender and soup has thickened. Remove from the heat and add the chopped cilantro and pepper to taste. Divide the soup among individual bowls and top with chopped tomatoes.