Dinner in 10 MInutes

Serves 2-4
Ingredients:

1. 1 box whole grain Near East Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous
2. 1-2 Tbs oil olive
3. 1/2 can tomatoes, drained
4. 1 small can sliced olives, drained
5. 2-3 kale leaves chopped
6. 1 bunch brocolini
7. Salt & Pepper

 Directions:

• Bring water to a boil in a steamer basket.  
• In another sauce pan, bring water to a boil following the directions on the couscous box.
• Add the chopped kale to the couscous water and prepare couscous as directed.
• Steam brocolini for 3-5 minutes in the steamer basket, or until bright green and slightly tender.
• Once couscous has cooked, about five minutes, add the can of olives and tomatoes.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

~Almost as fast as a microwave dinner~

Cacao Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Earth Balance (you could also use coconut oil if desired)
2. 1/2 cup Raw Cacao
3. Strawberries

Directions:

• Using a double broiler, or a glass bowl on top of a sauce pan filled with a little water,  heat butter until melted (over low to medium heat).
• Mix in Raw Cacao powder, reduce heat to very low.
• Wash strawberries and dip into the chocolate mix.  Set onto a plate or baking sheet.  Let chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

~Antioxidant Dessert~

Farm Fresh Frittata

  

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. 6 eggs (my eggs came from my friend Alicia's chickens....yumo)
2. 1/4 cup milk
3. 1 small zucchini
4. Half a bunch of asparagus
5. 2 green onions
6. 2 medium red potatoes
7. 2-3 kale leaves
8. Shredded cheddar cheese
9. 2 Tbs olive oil
10. Salt & Pepper
11. Italian seasonings

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium/high heat (I highly recommend a cast iron skillet because it can go directly from the stove into the oven).  Chop the potato and add into the skillet.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the potato starts to slightly brown.  Add Italian seasonings and salt & pepper.  
• While the potatoes are cooking, chop the asparagus, zucchini, green onions and kale.  Add all veggies except the kale to the skillet.  Cook for 3 minutes and then add kale.  Cook for another couple of minutes, just until the kale wilts.
• In a mixing bowl crack 6 eggs and add the milk.  Using a whisk, mix this together like you would when making scrabbled eggs.
• Pour over the veggies in the skillet and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
• Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Now, turn your oven to broil and cook for another 5 minutes.  I like my frittata nicely browned with the cheese crusted.  Once the top has browned and the cheese is bubbling the frittata is finished.
• Remove from oven and serve.

Jamie Oliver's TED Award Speech

This is a great speech about the state of America's health and the health of our children.  Jamie Oliver is the Naked Chef from the Food Network (run time is about 21 minutes).

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

 

Serves 4
Ingredients:

1. 2 acorn squash
2. 1 cup red quinoa
3. 1 apple
4. 2 celery stalks
5. 2 green onions
6. 1/4 cup dried cranberries
7. 2 Tbs maple syrup
8. 3 Tbs walnuts, raw unsalted
9. 2-3 kale leaves
10. 2 cups vegetable broth
11. Salt & pepper
12. Cinnamon (to taste)
13. Allspice (to taste)
14. 1-2 Tbs olive oil
15. 1 teaspoon Earth Balance

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350. Wash and cut squash into halves.  Scoop out seeds and place in a strainer.
• Place squash face down on a baking sheet or roasting pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.
• Rinse squash seeds and place onto a baking sheet.  Coat with 1 teaspoon Earth Balance and salt and pepper. Place seeds on the top rack of the oven and take out after 15-20 minutes, or once toasted. Set aside.
• Rinse quinoa and place into a large sauce pan.  Roast quinoa until dry and slightly toasted.  Add two cups of broth and 1 Tbs maple syrup to the quinoa and bring to a boil, then cover.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes.
• While quinoa and squash cook, chop vegetables and toast walnuts.  In a large skillet pan, add olive oil and toast walnuts over medium-high until brown.  Place on a plate and set aside.  Add chopped celery, green onions, apple, and kale to the skillet.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper, allspice and cinnamon to taste.  Mix in dried cranberries and walnuts to the skillet.  Turn off burner and let sit.
• After 30 minutes turn the squash right side up and drizzle with maple syrup and salt & pepper.  Continue cooking for another 15 minutes right side up.
• Once quinoa is finished add to the skillet of vegetables and gently mix.  Once squash is finished scoop quinoa mixture into the acorn squash.  Top with toasted squash seeds and serve.

~Makes a great meal or side dish~

Meet Michael Pollan

Here is a great interview with Michael Pollan (one of the best food advocates out there).  He is promoting his new book Food Rules.  This clip is about 50 minutes, but it's well worth it.

Polenta and Vegetable "Lasagna"

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

1. 1 tube organic polenta (aka corn grits)
2. 3 small,  2 medium, or 1 large zucchini
   
3. 1 jar marinara sauce ( I used a basil version)
4. Sun dried tomatoes (optional, about 3-4 Tbsp chopped in oil)
5. 1 small can black olives
6. Italian cheese and/or Parmesan cheese
7. 3-4 leaves of kale, de-stemmed and torn
   
8. Cracked Black pepper
9. Italian seasonings
10. Olive Oil

Directions: 

•  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Chop zucchini and polenta into 1/2 inch rounds.  De-stem kale leaves and rip into small pieces. Chop sun dried tomatoes.
• In a lasagna pan, layer the ingredients like you would lasagna.  
• Start with sauce, a layer of zucchini, polenta, kale, olives, black pepper and Italian seasonings. 
• Drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of sun dried tomatoes and a little cheese.  Then add another layer of zucchini, polenta and olives.  
• Top with the remaining sauce and cover with a good layer of cheese.  Add more black pepper and Italian seasonings.
•  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

 

I served this "lasagna" with a simple side salad.  The purple vegetable is actually a carrot!  Carrots come in a rainbow of colors and all of the colors taste really amazing.

Here is a version where I didn't use olives, steamed the kale on the side and added sliced sweet potato.  Both versions are good!

~Fantastico~