Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Pilaf

 

Serves 2
Ingredients:

Chicken:

1. 1 pound organic chicken breast
2. Juice of 1 lime
3. 2 Tbs chopped cilantro
4. 1 Tbs of agave
5. Salt & Pepper
6. 1/4 tsp garlic powder
7. 1 adobo chili pepper chopped and 1 tsp adobo sauce (you can find a can of these peppers with the sauce in the Mexican section of your grocery store)*
8.  2, 6-8 inch bamboo skewers

*Freeze the remaining peppers and the sauce in a glass jar. Next time you want to use one, either thaw, or just scrape out the pepper and sauce with a fork.

Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Pilaf:

1. 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and scrubbed very well)
2. 2 cups water
3. 1 can black beans (Cuban or Mexican Flavored)
4. 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
5. 3 green onions chopped
6. 3 Roma tomatoes chopped
7. Juice of 1 lime
8. 3 tsp. cumin
9. 1/4 tsp. chili powder
10. 1/4 tsp. black pepper
11. 1/2 tsp. salt
12. 2 Tbs. olive oil
13. 3 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Broccolini:

1. 1 bunch broccolini

Directions:

Chicken:

• Cut the chicken into small 1 x 1 inch pieces.
• In a glass storage bowl add the chicken pieces, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped adobo chili pepper, adobo sauce, agave, garlic powder and salt & pepper. Secure lid onto the bowl and let marinate overnight, or at least 30 minutes.
• Once the chicken has marinated, lace it onto the bamboo skewers.
• Set oven to broil and let pre-heat.
• Place chicken skewers on a cookie tray and cover the exposed bamboo with tin foil. Place under the broiler and cook 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook another 4-5 minutes. You can also BBQ the chicken skewers, but make sure you turn the chicken half way through cooking.

Quinoa Pilaf:

• Rinse and scrub the quinoa thoroughly in a mental strainer. It is important to scrub quinoa very well to eliminate the bitter taste on the outside of the seed.
• Place quinoa and 2 cups water into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cover. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.
• While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the rest of the pilaf. In a large glass storage bowl, add the can of black beans (washed), corn, chopped green onions and chopped tomatoes. Add quinoa to the bowl. In a small bowl mix together the lime, cumin, chili powder, olive oil, cilantro and salt & pepper. Pour over the quinoa and gently toss the pilaf until all the ingredients are mixed together.
• Refrigerate the pilaf overnight so that the flavors have time to meld together. Serve cold.

Broccolini:

• While the chicken is cooking, bring some water to a boil in a double boiler steamer basket. Wash the boccolini and cut the tips off the stems. Place the broccolini into the steamer basket and let steam for about 4 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

~Try these skewers on the BBQ~

Orange Coconut Quinoa Pilaf

 

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/4 cup quinoa (rinsed thoroughly)
2. 1 1/4 cup coconut milk
3. 1 cup water
4. A pinch of salt
5. 1 Tbsp olive oil
6. 1 can mandarin oranges (chopped)
7. 1/2 cup dried cranberries
8. 1/2 cup almond slivers (toasted with a little salt and olive oil)
9. 1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
10. 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
11. 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
12. 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Rinse the quinoa very, very well.  Place in a metal strainer  and rub the quinoa together under running water.  This will release the bitter tasting saponins that coat the quinoa.

• In a sauce pan or large skillet with lid, gently toast the quinoa, just like you would Rice a Roni.  Once quinoa is dry and slightly toasted, add coconut milk and water.  Bring to a boil, cover the pan, and reduce heat to low.  Let cook for 15-20 minutes.  Once cooked, remove from heat and let sit for another five minutes.
•  While the quinoa is cooking, toast the almonds in a small skillet.  Heat a little olive oil over medium heat and toast almonds for about 5 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt to the almonds.  Place in small mixing bowl.
• In the same mixing bowl,  add olive oil, maple syrup, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon.  Mix together.  Gently fold in chopped mandarin oranges and cranberries.
• Place quinoa into a large bowl and pour the sauce that you just created over the quinoa.  Gently toss and refrigerate for about an hour and a half.  Serve cold.

 

~A Perfect side dish for Summer BBQ's~ 

Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 1-2
Ingredients:

1. 1-2 yams or sweet potatoes
2. Olive oil
3. Salt & Pepper
4. Italian seasonings
5. Garlic powder
6. Paprika
7. Cheyenne pepper (if you want them spicy) or cinnamon (if you want them sweet)

Directions:

•  Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut sweet potato or yam into julienne pieces.
• Coat with olive oil and spices.
• Bake for 25 minutes, turn at least once half way through.
• Once the fries are crispy remove from the oven.

~Makes a great snack~

Chocolate Peanut Shake/Ice Cream

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1. 3 Tbs organic peanuts
2. 2 Tbs raw cacao or dark cocoa powder
3. 3 Medjool dates (available at Costco or the bulk section of your health food store)
4. 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
5. 1-2 cups ice
6. 1-2 cups vanilla hemp milk (available at health food stores)

Directions:

• In a blender, place the pitted dates, peanuts, cocoa powder and vanilla.  If you don't have a high speed blender, you may want to chop your dates and give this a quick pulse now.  
• Add ice and pour hemp milk over the ice.  If making this as an ice cream, then add less milk and more ice.  If you want to make a shake, then add less ice and more hemp milk.   Don't worry, you won't get high off hemp, but you will get some really amazing benefits; omega fats and protein, just to name a few.
• Blend to your desired consistency (I like mine a little bit chunky) and serve.

~Tastes just like a very popular candy bar!~

Two for One...Lentil Tacos and Enchiladas

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Lentils
• 1 packet of low sodium taco seasonings (if making gluten free, check the ingredients)
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or water
• 1 can re-fried beans
  
• Organic corn tortillas
• 1 can enchilada sauce for day two
  

 Toppings:

• Shredded cheese
• Cilantro, lettuce, olives, salsa, sour cream, avocado, etc.

Directions:

• Rinse lentils and prepare as directed on packet.  Replace broth for water (if desired) and add entire packet of taco seasoning to broth/water.  Cook for about 45 minutes, or as directed on lentil instructions.
• Heat re-fried beans and prepare taco toppings.
• Assemble tacos as desired.

Enchiladas Day Two: 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350. 
• Prepare left overs into several tacos. 
• Place into a roasting/lasagna/brownie pan and cover with enchilada sauce.  Top with cheese, and olives.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted.
• Garnish with cilantro, salsa and sour cream.
  

Enjoy!

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.

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~

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~

Veggie Sushi, Miso and Cucumber Salad

My First Attempt at Sushi!

 

It might not be the prettiest, but it was tasty!

Sushi, serves 2:

Ingredients:

1. 2/3 cups short grain brown rice
2. 1 cup water
3. 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
4. 2 tsp sugar or rice syrup
5. 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari (use tamari if making gluten free)
6. Nori sheets
7. 1 cucumber
8. Spinach
   
9. 1 medium carrot
10. Gomasio (sesame seeds with salt or seaweed)
11. Wasabi and pickled ginger (if desired) 
12. Small bowl of water

Directions:

•  Rinse rice and bring to a boil with 1 cup water and 1 tsp soy sauce.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.  Move to a cool burner and let stand for 10 minutes.
• While rice cools mix together rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons sugar.
• Transfer rice to a glass or plastic bowl and add rice vinegar mixture.  Mix gently.  Place in fridge until cool, about 15 minutes.
• Peel cucumber and carrot.  Slice both very thinly, length wise.  Making sure the pieces are uniform.  You can place a piece of nori next to your veggies to compare length.  Cut off the edges to match the length of the nori sheet.
• Fold the nori sheet in half (hamburger, not hot dog) and break into two pieces.
• Wrap your bamboo mat with plastic wrap.  This helps your roll not stick to the bamboo mat and also makes cleaning very easy.
• Place nori sheet at the bottom of your bamboo mat.  Add rice and smash down along the nori, leaving 1/3 inch at the top of the nori sheet.
• Add veggies along the middle of the rice.  Grab the end of the sushi mat and roll over the veggies.  Pull back tightly on the mat.  Dip you fingers in the water and moisten the nori.  Lift the mat slighly and continue to roll along the remaining nori.  
• Place roll on a cutting board and cut into 3-4 pieces.
• Repeat until all the rice is gone.

Here is a good You Tube clip on how to roll your sushi:



Cucumber Salad:

Ingredients:

1. 2 medium cucumbers
2. 1 Tbsp sugar or rice syrup
3. 1/2 cup rice vinegar
4. 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
   

Directions:

• You should prepare this before you start the rice.  This way it will be cool and marinated by the time the sushi is ready.
• Peel cucumber.  Cut length wise and de-seed.  You can do this by using a spoon to scape the seeds out.
• Chop into thin slices. 
• In a bowl, mix together the sugar, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.  Add the cucumbers and mix gently.
• Place in the refrigerator to cool.  Top with Gomasio.

Serve with instant miso soup (or the paste version). Garnish with wasabi, pickled ginger and Gomasio.

~Yum~

Roasted Root Vegetable Side Dish

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1. 1-2 large carrots
2. 1-2 medium parsnips
3. 1-2 sweet potatoes
4. 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
5. 1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6. 1/8-1/4 teaspoon rosemary
   
7. 1/8-1/4 teaspoon Italian spices
   
8. Sprinkle of paprika
   
9. Salt & Pepper to taste
   

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
• Cut sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips into 1/2 inch chunks.  Place into a roasting pan.  
• Drizzle with olive oil and spices.  Toss until all pieces are coated.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Flip the vegetables and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

 ~This side goes great with chicken, steak,  fish or pork~

Mayan Hot Cacao~Liquid Superfood

Serves 1
Ingredients:

1. 1 1/2- 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
2. 2 teaspoons agave syrup
   
3. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4. A sprinkle of nutmeg
   
5. Pinch of chili powder
6. 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
7. Dash of sea salt
   
8. 8 ounces hot water
   

Directions:

• Boil water.  
• Mix cacao powder, agave syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and chili powder in a coffee mug.  
• Add water.  
• You can mix in cream or top with whip cream if you want a more decadent drink.
  

~Enjoy~

Spicy Indian Lentil Stew

Serves 4
Ingredients:

1. 1-2 onions
2. 1-2 garlic cloves
3. 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (keep your fresh ginger in the freezer, this makes it easier to grate)
   
4. 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
5. 2 cups water
6. 1 cup red lentils (rinsed)
   
7. 1 can cannellini beans or white beans (drained and rinsed)
   
8. 1 can diced tomatoes
9. 1 large carrot, diced
10. 1 medium parsnip, diced
11. 2 celery stalks, diced
12. 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
13. 1-2 teaspoons curry
14. 2 teaspoons cumin
15. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (add towards the end of cooking)
16. 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
17. salt & pepper
18. Pinch of red pepper flakes
    
19. Kombu Seaweed (remove before eating, cooking with a 1-2 inch piece helps make the beans and lentils easier to digest)
20. 1 tablespoon olive oil  
21. Croutons and cilantro (garnishment) *eliminate croutons if making gluten free or vegan
    

Directions:

• Chop onion and garlic.  Saute in olive oil in a large pot.  Let cook for about 5 minutes, then add a little bit of vegetable broth.  Continue to simmer while you prepare the other vegetables.
• Chop the celery, parsnips,  and carrots.  I cheated and used the food processor, which is much faster than chopping all of those veggies!  You will need to cut in half or quarters before placing in the food processor.  Use the chopping blade.
  
• Add water, broth, lentils, washed beans, washed lentils, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, parsnips, Kombu seaweed and spices.  Bring to a boil.  
• Boil for a few minutes and skim off any bubbles that accumulate at the top.  This will makes the beans and lentils easier to digest.  
• Reduce to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.  Add lemon juice towards the end of cooking.
  
• Remove Kombu seaweed and discard.
• Garnish with croutons and cilantro.
• Serve with a simple green salad.

(This will likely make your house smell while cooking (Indian spices are pungent), but trust me, it tastes really good!)

~Namaste~

Half-Bowl? Three-Quarters Bowl? Semi-Bowl?

For those of you from Portland (Oregon),  you have probably heard of Whole Bowl (an amazing food cart that serves up a healthy lunch for only $5.00).

It was a favorite lunch spot for me, but since I left Portland,  I have not stopped craving the stuff.  I came up with a home variation that is pretty close.  It's at least good enough to tide me over until I am back in Portland again!

Ingredients:

Base:

1. 1 cup dried or canned black beans (if dried soak overnight in the fridge)
2. 1 cup short or long grain brown rice (soak for at least 30 minutes to help with digestion of nutrients)
3. Taco seasoning or cumin, paprika, garlic powder, chili pepper and black pepper
4. 1-2 inch piece of Kombu seaweed (this will go in with the beans while they cook)

Toppings:

1. Salsa
2. Cilantro
3. Shredded cheddar cheese
4. Black olives
5. Sour cream (not pictured on mine, because I don't like it)
   
6. Avocado (ditto)
   
7. Sweet Chili Sauce (this could contain gluten, so eliminate if making gluten free)
   

Secret Sauce (my lazy version):

1. 1/4 cup regular hummus
2. 1 Tbs nutritional yeast (this is a great ingredient for vegans to include in their diets because of the B vitamins it contains)
   
3. 1/8 tsp garlic powder
4. 1-2 Tbs lemon juice
5. 1/8 tsp curry powder 

"Yummy Sauce" (from what I have been told this is very close to the sauce Whole Bowl uses)*:

 SERVES 8 , 4 cups

• 1/2 cup canola oil (preferably cold pressed)
• 1/2 cup almonds (for a creamier sauce, use almond flour)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (available at Whole Foods grocery stores)
• 1/2 cup chickpeas or garbanzo beans, cooked
• 1/4 cup soybeans, cooked (not green edamame beans)
• 1/2 cup filtered water (important for flavor)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
• 1-2 garlic cloves (small to medium size)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro

1. In a blender or food processor blend almonds beans and oil.
2. Add all other ingredients and puree until creamy smooth.
3. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for one hour.
4. Don't cover to tight, remember the yeast.

*Yummy Sauce recipe from http://www.recipezaar.com/Yummy-Sauce-297251

Directions:

•  Soak beans overnight in a bowl of water in the refrigerator.  Keeping the beans cool, helps to stop fermentation.  You can change the water a couple of times while the beans are soaking.  This helps eliminate some of the oligosaccharides which are hard for our systems to digest.  
• After soaking the beans overnight add about 4 cups of fresh water to a pot on the stove with the beans.  Add a piece of Kombu seaweed to the pot.  After cooking, you can remove this like a bay leaf, or cut it up to include in your beans.  I pulled mine out (it doesn't look too pretty).
• Simmer beans for 1-2 hours.  I cooked mine for a little over an hour.
• While the beans cook, start the rice.  You can follow the directions on the package.  Add taco seasonings (1/4 of packet, or the spices listed above).
• Once the beans are finished drain and add back to the pot.  Add salt, pepper and salsa to the beans.  You can add additional cumin or other seasonings.
• While the rice and beans cook, prepare the toppings and secret sauce.  If following my version, just mix the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Once the rice and beans are finished.  Place a scoop of rice in your bowl, then layer with beans, top with secret sauce, cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, olives, cilantro and sweet chili sauce.

~It's not Whole Bowl, but it's pretty dang close! ~

*to make this vegan, don't add cheddar cheese or sour cream.

Left-Over Rice for Breakfast!

Ingredients:

1.  1 cup left-over brown rice
2.  1-2 tablespoons orange juice
3.  1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (the real stuff)
   
4.  2 teaspoons (organic) raisins
   
5.  1 tablespoon walnuts
6.  Cinnamon to taste

Directions:

• Heat rice in a small sauce pan over medium heat on the stove.
• Add orange juice, maple syrup, raisins, walnuts and cinnamon.
• Heats in about 5 minutes.

Voila, breakfast!

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Here is the source for this recipe:

Raw Chocolate Truffles Galore and much more…

Chef Karolina’s Raw Chocolate Truffles 
 
Prep time:  10 mins.
Un-Cook time:  20 mins (to roll and dredge in toppings)
Yield:  25 truffles

Ingredients:

1 cup cacao powder
1 cup cashews
½ cup maple syrup
Water (to mix) 

Mix cashews in a food processor to a powder, adding water to mix.  Add maple syrup to cashews and process then mix with cacao powder, refrigerate for a few hours or overnight for better results.

*roll in shredded coconut, chocolate nibs, cacao powder, dehydrated cherries or ginger, or whatever you love!
*try macadamia nuts instead of cashews


THEY ARE SOOOO GOOD!

I made some last night and coated mine with coconut, crushed salted almonds, and crushed biscotti.  Macadamia nuts would also be really good, or maybe add in a little orange or lemon zest.

The recipe calls for raw cacao, which is considered to be a "super food".  If you want to learn more about cacao, then watch this video of David Wolfe.  You can find raw cacao powder at most health food stores.  I bought the brand Navitas at Super Supplements.

If you love dark chocolate, then give these truffles a try.

Nuts about Raw Pecan Pie

Here is a good dessert to try out.                            

                                                      

I actually found this recipe in UsWeekly (not that I read that garbage or anything...wink...wink)  Of course, I had to modify it just a bit, but mainly because I don't like following directions.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1. 2 cups raw walnuts (rinse them first, this helps eliminate any bitter taste)
2. 2 cups pitted dates 
3. 1 cup coconut flakes

Filling:

1. 1/2 cup unrefined virgin  coconut oil
   
2. 1 cup organic raisins
3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
4. 1/3 cup maple syrup
5. 1 tsp sea salt
6. 1 cup raw pecans, soaked

Directions:

• Mix walnuts, dates and coconut flakes in food processor until combined.
• Press mixture into the bottom of a pie pan, or muffin pan.
• Blend the filling ingredients until smooth.
• Pour into crust/s
• Garnish with pecans and freeze for 5 hours.

I suggest the muffin pan and keeping the extras in the freezer.  Wrap them individually, or put them in a Tupperware.  

You can find organic virgin unrefined coconut oil at most health food stores.  It is all the rage right now because of it's proposed health benefits!  If you want to read more, click on the hyper link above.  I bought a jar and put half in the bathroom and half in the kitchen.  I use the one in the bathroom for skin care.  I put it on my face, lips and hands.  The one in the kitchen I use as a butter or oil substitute (it's solid below 85 degrees).  Try it on toast instead or butter, or add it to the water when making rice.  It will give your rice a nice tropical flavor.

Another thing I like to do with coconut oil is add it to my coffee!  No, it's not gross, it's good!  I put in a little soy milk and a small dab of coconut oil.  Okay, at least try the dessert :-).

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti!

Ingredients:

1. 1 Spaghetti Squash
2. Marinara Sauce (my favorite is Dave's Gourmet Red Heirloom Organic Pasta Sauce from Costco)
3. Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees

• Cut squash in half lengthwise (hot dog cut)

• Scoop out the seeds and rinse the squash 

• Place halves face down on a baking sheet or roasting pan.

• Bake for one hour, or until the inside of the squash is soft.

• Use a fork to scrape out the squash.  It should, start to look like spaghetti noodles when you do this.

• Place the "noodles" on your plate, top with sauce and Parmesan cheese.

I coupled my "spaghetti" with the kale recipe below (I'm really into kale right now) and a simple arugula salad.  The salad had candied walnuts, a little Parmesan cheese, pear slices, a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of fig balsamic vinaigrette.

Feel free to make your own sauce from scratch or add meatballs.  Trader Joe's and Jenny-O  make some really tasty turkey meatballs (I'm sure you can find organic meatballs, as well).  I know it can be hard to sit down to a dinner that has no meat and no carbs, so feel free to embellish.

Enjoy!