Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers

I've been enjoying this recipe..though my photo isn't the greatest. And I play around with the seasonings and such, but this is my basic recipe. The cilantro and ginger are great in it!

2 Red Peppers, cored/seeded and cut in half
1 c quinoa
2 c beef broth
1/2 t. ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t cumin
green onions
cilantro
almonds, slivered
salt and pepper to taste (don't skimp on the salt!)
feta cheese (optional)

1. Roast peppers at 400 for about 15 minutes
2. Sautee ginger and garlic in oil or butter
3. Add quinoa and cumin and sautee another minute
4. Add beef broth and bring to boil; cook ten minutes until broth is absorbed and quinoa done.
5. Remove from heat and add green onions, cilantro and almonds (and feta, if desired).
6. Stiff peppers with quinoa mixture and cook 10 more minutes.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I adore lettuce wraps when done well and have been eating these frequently! I buy the cute little Artisan lettuce (5-pack) at Costco and it makes the lettuce boats a breeze.

Meat (I use steak cut up very small)

Soy sauce (I use liquid aminos)

sweet chili sauce

optional: ginger, garlic and onion finely minced and sauteed in with the meat

Veggies (cut up super tiny)

cucumber

colored peppers

carrots

I just cook the meat with the sauces and then put them in the boat with cut veggies on top (optional is to put a little brown rice in the boat first and then the meat and veggies for a nice Asian pile-up). That's it. Simple and yummy. You can also cook some brown rice or quinoa (I like mine cooked in beef broth--maybe coconut milk?--to flavor it interestingly if you want to change things up).

no source to credit for this one. This one is mine.

Soy Sauce Alternative: Liquid Aminos

So I've heard of Liquid Aminos for awhile now, but never knew what it was, nor looked into it. Until my mom showed it to me. And funny thing is that I just started my detox diet (sort of): dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free. Basically no processed foods! Crazy, but so far I haven't gotten sick yet and all the other members in my family have....

Anyway, so I bought some liquid aminos at the health food store (or aisle in grocery stoee...they're both places). I like having the small spray bottle and then buying a big bottle to refill the small one (they have gallon size). And it seriously tastes just like soy sauce, but it's healthy and has both essential and non-essential aminos in it (derived from soy, but is non-gmo--genetically modified--unlike 80% of soy products). It's all natural and a great alternative. I just try put it on things at the end, instead of beginning of cooking, so it doesn't damage the aminos. Braggs is a great brand. I get their organic Apple Cider vinegar too.

Get some and try it!
It's great to flavor meat with along with sweet chili sauce--try yummy lettuce wraps.
Or to flavor rice or broccoli and beef.
Or even in salad dressing...whatever you typically use soy sauce for.
Mom sprays it on her apple slices and that tastes great too!

Halibut Olympia

This is a family favorite we had in Alaska all the time and now I do it with any white fish. However I do all sorts of variations of this now to change up the flavors.

onions, sliced
1/4 c sour cream (I use yogurt)
1/4 c mayo
parmesan
garlic powder
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Sautee onions in oil/butter and place on bottom of buttered dish.
2. Place fish on onions.
3. Mix mayo, cream, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and seasonings; spread on top of fish.
4. Cover dish with foil and cook 30 mins on 375. Then uncover and cook or broil a few more minutes.
---

My simplified version of this is to sautee onions, put fish over top, then spread minimal amount of homemade mayo/yogurt directly on top (about 2 T) and add garlic power (or other seasonings like dill). Then I pop it in the toaster oven and broil for about 10 mins total. It doesn't even need parmesan or lemon juice (depending on the type of fish).

White Chicken Chili

So this isn't a thick typical chili. It's more a soup with white beans and chicken and a mexican food type flavor. But it's good and always better if you add cheese and milk/creamy stuff at the end, but not needed.

• 1 T  oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 c cooked chicken (I usually use an oven-baked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to save on time), shredded
• 2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can (4 ounces) green chiles
• 1/2 t. cumin
• 1/2 t. oregano
• 4 c. chicken broth
• salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• 1 lime, juice (opt.)
• cilantro (opt.)
• 1 c shredded cheese (opt.)

1. Saute the onion in a pot.
2. Add Beans, corn, green chilies, cumin and oregano to the large pot. Then the broth.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow the broth to reduce. Add salt and pepper (to taste) and juice from one whole lime. 
4. Serve with cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc. as desired (but not needed)

I normally don't add the optional (unless cilantro and chips) and then have a side of cornbread if we don't do the chip option.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts n' Sausage

This is another basic dish created during our dairy-free, gluten-free "diet" this last week.

In case you weren't aware and don't like brussels sprouts (like many people), the only real way to eat them is to shred them! You can then sautee them with curry powder and maybe add some lemon juice? Maybe add some pecans? Or just onion and garlic? Whatever else you'd do with sauteed greens..... But I wanted to share this because it became an easy main dish. Again, measurements aren't precise--this is just an idea for those wanting to try shredded brussels sprouts.

10 brussels sprouts, shredded (I just sliced mine thinly)
2 T oil/butter (i used chicken fat)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c onion, chopped
pinch of red pepper
sausage links, sliced (I used 2 big Italian Turkey sausages--from Costco)
3 c cooked Brown rice (I use the fool-proof baked method since the pot always overflows and don't have a rice cooker)

1. Sautee onion and garlic in butter/oil
2. add shredded cabbage and dash of red pepper; sautee a few more minutes
3. add sausage and a little water. Stir and place lid on pan--stirring every few minutes until all is cooked evenly.
4. Place over warm brown rice on your plate.

Fool-Proof Baked Brown Rice

For those of you who don't own a rice cooker and don't want another random device in your kitchen that you have to fish out of your already over-filled cupboard....or for those of you who don't want to fish out the one you do have.... here's a handy tip for cooking brown rice in your oven.

6 c water
2 c brown rice (or half brown/half white rice and reduce water by 1/2 c)
2 t oil
1 t salt
other seasonings to taste

1. Place all mixed up in 9x13 glass dish and double cover the top with tin foil.
2. Bake at 400 for 1 hour. (or 350 for 11/2 hours)
3. Pull out and fluff. (I leave mine in until dinner is ready if I've only got 10 minutes or so left)

Super easy and you can add onions and garlic or curry powder or cumin or tomato sauce, etc. However you like to cook rice....and it doesn't burn. :) And it's great for leftovers!

Variations
Mexican Rice: add can of tomato sauce and green chiles and onions (you can throw in some full pieces of chicken too if you'd like).

Herbed Rice: add two table spoons butter and various italian herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil), plus garlic and onion.

Complete Meal: Naked Salmon Salad

Yes...the title is interesting. Let me tell you why I picked it. Paul and I are doing a two-week gluten-free, processed sugar-free, dairy-free nutrition experiment--kind of like a detox. So we needed to figure out what to eat for lunch on Saturday, since we were running around without much time. We popped salmon patties in the toaster oven and opened a can of kidney beans and grabbed some spinach. And then we had a salmon salad of sorts, but all separate on the plate. And I thought it was simply delicious--as in simple + yummy (nothing amazing in others' eyes, I'm sure...but soo healthy and easy). And since it was like a salad that wasn't put all together I thought of "Undressed Salad." And Paul said that would be a Naked Salad then. And that title stuck. :) We had it Sunday for lunch too, because I thought it so yummy.

1 Salmon patty (from Costco, or just a fillet)
2 handfuls spinach
1 dollop of mustard
----
1/2 can kidney beans
dash of onion pwder
dash of garlic pwder
salt to taste

Optional:
1 serving of a grain (quinoa or millet, cooked)
dash of cumin
---

1. Cook salmon in toaster oven 10 mins at 375.
2. Place fish on a bed of spinach on your plate.
3. Warm can of beans (if desired) and add seasonings. Then place next to spinach/fish (and on top of grain if you chose that addition to the meal).
4. Add the dollop of mustard on the plate somewhere.

We eat a bite of fish with spinach and add a bean or two, then slide the fork into the mustard sometimes. So you're basically eating it all together in a salad, but they're all still separate on your plate. :) With millet and the beans you're getting a complete protein! Paul chose how to season the beans....he's surprisingly amazing when it comes to playing with seasonings--he always smells them and decides. He must have an good nose for smells, because he always picks good spice combos.

Tuscan Bean Soup

I love this soup because there's no cream or milk in it and it's loaded with kale! This recipe is very versatile and measurements are quite forgiving.

2 T oil (I use butter or chicken fat)
1/2 c.  yellow onion, chopped 
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 cans drained cannellini beans (or I soak mine the night before and cook them all day in crockpot)
1 t fennel seeds
6-8 c broth ( i use homemade chicken broth)
1 c. tomatoes, diced
2-4 cooked sausages, in small pieces (i used the little chicken sausages at Costco, but any sausages or ground sausage works)
6 c. kale (just the leaves, remove hard stems)
1/2 c brown rice or barley, etc (opt)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Sautee the onion and garlic in oil/butter 5 mins. 
2. Add beans, fennel, broth, brown rice and tomatoes. Cook for awhile (about 20 mins if not adding brown rice, but 1 hour if you are. And I use dehydrated tomatoes sometimes)
3. Blend half of the soup (so it's thicker).
4. Add cooked sausage and kale and cook 5 more minutes.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.

Yum. 
I use dried beans and soak them overnight, then drain and cook all day in the crockpot. So I normally do about the amount two cans would be so I can blend up about one can's worth. Then I add the other stuff and cook from there if you want. And dried onion and garlic works well for that too.
Also, if you want to add celery or carrot or even more kale before you blend, then you get that much more veggies blended into the thickness of the soup (hidden). :)

Food Pairings to Boost Nutrition

Here is a list of foods that can boost nutrition when paired together...

Eggs and Cheese

The vitamin D found in egg yolks makes the calcium in dairy more available to your body — important not only for bones, but for heart health as well.

Rosemary and Steak

Marinate your steak with rosemary before cooking: The herb is rich in antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid that help neutralize carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that form when steak reaches a temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Tomatoes and Olive Oil

Cancer- and heart disease-fighting compounds called carotenoids (the most well known of which is lycopene) are found in abundance in tomatoes. They’re fat-soluble and, as such, they’re more available to your body when you eat them with fats such as olive oil or mozzarella cheese.

Garlic and Fish

Both of these foods fight inflammation and disease, but together they’re even more powerful. Research has shown that a combination of garlic and fish lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol more effectively than eating the foods on their own.

Raspberries and Chocolate

Scientists have discovered that when raspberries and chocolate are paired together, their disease-fighting flavonoids (quercetin in raspberries and catechin in chocolate) are even more effective at thinning the blood and improving heart health.

Turmeric and Black Pepper

The spice turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties — it’s being studied for its potential to fight cancer, improve liver function, lower cholesterol and stave off Alzheimer’s disease. When you combine it with black pepper, your body absorbs a thousand times more curcumin (turmeric’s active ingredient).

Salmon and Red Wine

Plant compounds in grapes known as polyphenols do more than promote good circulation — they also help your body absorb more of the brain-healthy omega-3s in fish.

Oatmeal and Oranges

Phenols (a type of plant compound) in oatmeal and vitamin C in oranges both lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. When eaten together, their ability to improve cholesterol and prevent heart disease is four times greater than what they’re capable of individually.

Lemon and Spinach

The vitamin C in lemons helps your body absorb more of the plant-based iron found in spinach, a mineral that prevents mood swings and promotes happiness.

Vinegar and Sushi Rice

Vinegar decreases rice’s ability to raise blood sugar levels by 20 to 40 percent.

Beet Greens and Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a good source of vitamin B6, which helps your body absorb the magnesium found in beet greens (B6 helps facilitate the transport of magnesium across cell membranes). These nutrients work together in the body to ease the symptoms of PMS and ADHD.

Banana and Yogurt

Bananas contain inulin, which research indicates fuels the growth of yogurt’s healthy bacteria (which helps regulate digestion and boost immunity).

Apples and Cranberries

These Thanksgiving staples are rich in a wide variety of antioxidants such as quercetin and anthocyanidins. Research shows that when you eat these foods together, their antioxidant activity is significantly higher than if you eat them separately.

Chicken contains zinc, which is what your body needs to efficiently metabolize the beta-carotene in carrots into vitamin A, a nutrient you need for healthy skin, strong eyes and a robust immune system.

Fish and Broccoli

Fish contains the mineral selenium, and broccoli is rich in a disease-fighting compound known as sulforaphane. Research shows that selenium and sulforaphane together are 13 times more effective at slowing cancer cell growth than when eaten alone.

Whole-Grain Bread and Peanut Butter

Together, these two foods contain all nine of the essential amino acids that your body needs to build bones, muscles and hormones.

Broccoli and Pine Nuts

The vitamin C in broccoli helps keep the vitamin E in pine nuts active and potent.

Blueberries and Walnuts

Blueberries contain phytochemicals known as anthocyanins that protect the brain from oxidative damage, and walnuts are a rich source of omega-3s that make you smarter. Research has shown that these compounds are even more powerful at sharpening memory and improving communication between brain cells when they work together.

Garlic and Onions

The organosulfur compounds in garlic and onions are more powerful in combination than solo. Together, they help remove plaque from arteries and keep blood vessels flexible and healthy.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/food-pairings-ze0z1203zhir.aspx?page=2#ixzz24l9Xy5F3

Homemade Crackers (using Artisan Bread Dough)

Want to make your own crackers? I have another recipe I typically make, but I think I'll switch over to this one for good because it uses dough we already make regularly for so many things. I also make sticky rolls, english muffins and crescent rolls with the same basic dough. It's amazing!

We make a batch of Artisan Bread dough every other week or so it seems. It's so easy and we do half white/half wheat so it's not totally nutritionless or hard on the digestive system--one or the other.

So we just pull off an orange size lump of dough and roll it as thin as possible (use flour underneath so you don't go crazy...even if you have a silpat there too). Then throw it straight into the 375 degree preheated oven on the baking stone and make sure to prick with fork and draw hatch marks with back of knife (to indicate cracker pieces, then sprinkle with salt and possibly other seasonings if desired) and put a pan of water undearneath the stone. The crackers cook super fast and should be done in 5 minutes. Watch so they don't burn. Here is the summary chart from the Artisan Bread post-- a cheat sheet I made after reading the book so I know how to do all sorts of other recipes with the same dough, just by checking my cheat sheet. So if it's confusing....go to original post and work from there.

Crackers

--

Orange size, paper thin

0

375 degrees

2-5 minutes

Stone

Yes use water

Prick with fork and salt before cooking; Pop bubbles during cooking

Homemade Croutons

I guess we're crust snobs....but in the sense that we don't eat crusts very often on our homemade Artisan bread. So, I always use them for bread crumbs or croutons for a small salad. Here's typically what I do for the croutons--to taste, as usual.....

photo from laura's blog

artisan crusty bread, cubed (doesn't have to be the end pieces; or can be day old other bread)
oil
salt
garlic powder
parmesan (opt. but delicious)
Seasonings (opt. Italian if doing Ceasar type salad, etc.: parsely, basil, oregano, etc)

Just throw everything in a bowl and mix with hands.
Then lay out on sheet in oven (we just use toaster oven setting) and bake for a few minutes--about 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. (Our toaster oven does 5-10 minutes at about 380 degrees. But watch them, because they can burn fast. You can just broil and mix them around too.)

The last time I made them Paul said they were better than the store-bought Ceasar ones he typically likes. (prob. because I added parmesan and Italian this time) :)

Celery: Is It Worth Anything?

Celery gets a bad rep for being worthless, does it not? Well, it's actually a good addition if you've got it laying around. Here are some highlights:

• contains Vitamins B3, B5, C, E, K biotin, folate, magnesium, manganese, calcium, iodine, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, and fiber
• strengthens the immune system and at the same time makes the body more resistant against diseases
• has ideal quantities of iron and magnesium to stop diseases from progressing
• detoxifyies the body
• known to help alleviate the effects of anemia
• combats bad-breath because it stimulates saliva secretion in your mouth, which helps to flush out debris and bacteria.

Here are more benefits based on the nutrients:

§ Lowers Blood Pressure-Celery contains a compound called Phthalide, which is what gives celery its unique taste. This compound has been shown to help relax the muscles around vessel walls, allowing them to dilate and therefore the blood flows through the vessels more easily.

§ Vitamin K-Vitamin K may be one of the lesser known vitamins, but its health benefits should not be overlooked. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in regulating blood clotting. It has also been shown to aid the body in absorbing calcium – a crucial mineral for bone health – so try eating foods rich in vitamin K (such as celery) along with calcium-rich foods to help increase your calcium absorption (and as a bonus, celery is also a good source of calcium).

§ Vitamin C-Celery is a very good source of vitamin C, one of the most well known vitamins, which offers a wide array of benefits. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps to boost the immune system, protect against cancer, regulate blood sugar, protect your skin from free radical damage, and plays a part in the growth and repair of body tissue.

§ Dietary Fiber-One serving of celery contains over 8% of your RDA of dietary fiber. Fiber is a very important part of a healthy diet, offering a wide variety of benefits, such as regulating blood sugar levels, helping to lower cholesterol and helping to protect against heart disease.

§ Potassium-This mineral should be an essential part of any active person’s diet, and celery is a great source of potassium. Potassium helps muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces muscle cramps – it also plays a role in regulating blood pressure, water content in cells, digestion and in some metabolic processes.

§ Rich in Calcium-Calcium in a very important mineral and one that many of us don’t get enough of. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, but it is also necessary to ensure proper functioning of muscles and nerves. When we don’t get enough calcium to supply the body with what it needs, your body will ‘borrow’ this mineral from bones, leading to a variety of problems, such as Osteoporosis or other bone disease.

For pregnant women the consumption of celery should be made in very small quantities.

While many foods lose nutrients during cooking, most of the compounds in celery hold up well during cooking. And it's slightly salty character lends well to adding with fruits and fruit juices.

So why not throw it into your soups, salads and casseroles as an added benefit. Or snack on it with peanut butter or our family favorite: cheese (we use to do shredded cheese and mayo, but now we just do sliced cheddar without mayo). Or make a cream of celery soup if you have too much (just cook with onions and garlic and blend it all, then throw in ham, peas and potaoes for more fill--don't forget to salt and pepper).

--------

*info from www.liveandfeel.com/medicinalplants/celery.html

Vitamins 101 Guide

Thoughts on Real food

Notes: Healthy Eating 101

What do various good diets have in common?
If you look at a lot of diets, they vary a lot. Some mainstream real food diets include GAPS, Paleo and the Nourishing Traditions stuff--Weston Price. But what do many of these best "diets" have in common? (I'm talking about ways of eating, not  "losing weight/fad" diets) Here are four commonalities through various diets about what it means to eat well.

1. Whole Foods diet
- unprocessed foods
- whole grains
- non refined sweetener

2. Plant Based diet
- majority of food is plant-based (maybe 75%)

3. High raw diet (not completely though!...maybe 50-75%)
- fresh, uncooked
- minimal cooking: low tempuratures

4. Probiotics

How to build healthy cells--to combat diseases/sicknesses?
The best, long-term way to build cells is through food in it's most natural state. Since food nourishes your cells, it heals your cells. Your cells need to be repaired and boosted to combat any ailments or sicknesses your body is going through. You wouldn't build a house out of cardboard and scraps, and it's the same with how you treat your body.

A) Use good quality foods
- local
- organic
- whole grain
- nuts and seeds
- legumes
- minimal animal fats/meats

B) Minimally Prepare Food
- Make sure food is full of Enzymes (which help with digestion)
- low temperatures

C) Maximize Digestive Process (if having digestive difficulties, you need daily probiotics!)
- enzymes breaks down cells so nutrients are easier to digest
- best to drink before or after meals, not during, because it slows down digestive process

1. Mouth: saliva enzymes start the digestion process, so chew well
2. Stomach:
3. Small intestines: nutrients get to your blood and cells through vili
4. Large Intestines: water absorbed back into body and waste moves out (bacteria and undigestible fiber, etc.)

D) Eliminate Toxic Overload

1. Stop putting toxins in body: body, skin, mouth, air, etc. (food, body products, cleaners, etc.)
2. Drink Water: water cleanses cells flushes out bad stuff, as well as keeps you hydrated (soda dehydrates; it takes 32 times the amount of water to neutralize the toxic overload of one soda)
• drink 2-4 cups room temperature water per morning, peeferably 1 hour before eating
• add citus, like organic lemon: cleanses liver, alkalizes body and gives minerals, starts digestive process in stomach
• how much a day? Divide weight in half and drink that many ounces per day
3. Put minerals into body:
• if we don't get enough minerals our body pulls it from our bones (osteoporosis).
• Processed foods, stress, soda, lack of exercise, certain medications, etc. take away the minerals in our bodies.
4. Make sure our enzymes are adequate--from both sources
• from food: fresh produce, raw nuts and seeds, probiotic foods
• in body
5. Create Healthy Flora in Body--probiotics
• need it every day, long-term; probiotics go in and out and don't stay in body
• processed dairy/yogurt isn't ideal because it's not local, organic, minimally processed, etc.
• cultured foods: homemade sauerkraut (not store-bought), kefir, etc.

*these are my notes from a Cellular cleansing class from cafe Janae.com

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

This recipe is from the 365 days of slowcooking blog. Cheryl thinks it's great, so I'm posting it. :)

Crock Pot version
Makes about 2 quarts (about 8 servings)
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 c finely diced celery
1 c finely diced carrots
1 c finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 c chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ c flour
1 c Parmesan cheese
½ c butter
2 c milk, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1. Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3. About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don’t be afraid to always season to taste at the end).
4. Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

Stove-Top Version
If you want to make this recipe on the stove-top you can! Here is the adjusted recipe:

3 c diced tomatoes with juice (you can use canned)

1 c finely diced celery

1 c finely diced carrots

1 T fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried

4 cchicken broth

1/2 c flour

1 c parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 c finely diced onions

4 T fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried

1/2 bay leaf

1/2 c butter

2 c milk

1 tsp salt

1. Heat oil in 4 quart soup pot. Add celery, onions and carrots. Saute 5 minutes. Add basil, oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender (15 minutes).

2. While soup simmers, prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add back into soup pot.

3. Simmer, stirring constantly, until soup begins to thicken. Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend. Stir warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spicy Parmesan Kale and Green Beans

This was a great side with fish. It's hot and better than just plain sauteed kale or greenbeans by themselves. The flavors work well together. And if you wanted, you could turn it into a casserole and add buttered, toasted breadcrumbs on top (in addition to or in place of the almonds) and make it more of a main dish, rather than a side.

3 T olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced (opt.-I don't always have these on hand)

1 1/2 lbs. green beans, trimmed and slice into 1-inch pieces

2 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup white wine (I use unsweetened apple juice)

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1 bunch kale (1/2 pound), rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped

2 T lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)

3 T grated Parmesan

 handful of slivered almonds

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

**original recipe from foodnetwork

Kale Slaw: 2 variations!

Ok, so I don't normally like slaw that much, but I like that this recipe has two options: sweet or creamy (at least those are the two options I use). The original recipe called for mayo, but I don't love mayo and thought sugar added a nice touch instead. I use rapudura (brown organic whole cane sugar), but honey would work--or whatever. It's a great way to get in your kale--superfood fix.

• 1 head kale, stems removed and super thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, sliced very thinly
• 1 slice bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

Final addition/Variations:

Creamy version: add 1 T mayo

Sweet version: add 1-2 t. sweetener of choice

Throw everything together and massage it all with your fingers. It's great to use fingers because you work the acids from the citrus into the kale and help it "wilt" a little. Add the sugar or mayo at the end. Then place in the fridge until you need it. The bacon is best put in at the end though, to ensure it stays crispy.

*mayo version originally from foodnetwork.com

Charise's Grand Granola

3 c. rolled oats

1/2 c. nuts (crushed pecans, almonds, or both)

1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 c. melted organic butter

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

1/8 c. oil (coconut oil or canola oil)

1/8 c. honey (raw is best)

1/8 or 1/4 c. crushed pumpkin seeds

2 T sesame seeds

1 T milk

1/4 or 1/2 c.  organic brown rice syrup or tapioca syrup (adjust to your taste)

1/2 c. organic raisins (sold at Costco)

1/2 c. dates (chopped)

Mix all the above ingredients (except the brown rice syrup, raisins and dates) well.  Bake at 300 degrees F. for 30-40 minutes...stir every 10-15 minutes so it cooks evenly and light golden brown.  After pulling it out of the oven, pour the brown rice syrup over the top and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands.  Let it cool completely, add the raisins and dates and store in a tuperware container. 

I try to use organic and local foods (Thompson Pecan Farm in Hurricane, Utah and they are THE BEST...not bitter at all!, Perry Honey Farms for RAW honey, Winder Dairy for milk, etc.) 

I have been experimenting making granola for a long time, and this is my finished product which all my family love!  It makes for great yougurt parfait, cold cereal in the morning, or a healthy snack... NO REFINED SUGARS which I love too! 

*from Charise