Healthy, Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free Recipes

6 large, very ripe tomatoes
1/2 English cucumber
1 sweet red pepper, seeded
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded
1/2 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp each of salt, celery salt, and dried oregano
1/4 tsp of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce
1 large fresh basil leaves or 1/2 tsp dried basil

Cut tomatoes and cucumbers into chunks. Coarsely chop peppers. Place in a food processor with remaining ingredients.

Blend until vegetables are finely chopped. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

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Wild Rice Salad (Makes 10 servings)
Here’s a nice vegetarian meal for a summer day, you could also add chopped chicken to increase the protein content.

2 cups wild rice/brown rice/red rice mixture
6 cups water
1 red pepper, chopped
1 sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 package of frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
1/2 cup of slivered almonds
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

Balsamic vinaigrette or oil and vinegar dressing. Cook rice, let it cool. Add vegetables, almonds and dressing.

Almond Sole (Makes 4-5 servings)
Simple, healthy, delicious and fast – what more can you ask for in a recipe?

6 sole fillets
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Microwave almonds and olive oil until almonds are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Lay sole fillets in a microwave safe dish. Spoon over almond mixture and microwave for 4 minutes or until fish is cooked and flakes with a fork. Let sit for 2 minutes and enjoy.

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Dairy Free, Gluten Free Yummy Muffins
You can modify these to make them low carb as well, see the notes below

1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup rice milk
2/3 cup brown sugar*
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup millet flour
3/4 cup buckwheat flour*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

*Low carb modifications: Use 3-4 packets of stevia instead of brown sugar, use 3/4 cup of unsweetened protein powder in place of the buckwheat flour

Combine liquid ingredients: applesauce, rice milk, sugar/stevia, egg and oil. Combine remaining dry ingredients. Mix together liquid and dry ingredients until still lumpy. Pour into greased muffin cups and bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and centre springs back when lightly touched.

Fresh Fruit Smoothie
Easy to make, tasty and you can be creative to make any flavour you want!

1 cup of unsweetened soy or almond milk
1 packet of stevia
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of fresh or frozen fruit – banana, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, blackberries, mango, papaya, pineapple

Extras: Cinnamon, nutmeg, bee pollen, almond butter, tofu, spirulina, chlorella, acidophilus, UltraMeal protein/vitamin/mineral powder, ice, lecithin, flaxseed oil, fish oil

Blend in a blender on high speed until smooth.

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Walnut Oatmeal Patties

1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts
2 cups of rolled oats
3 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 cup of soy milk
1 large onion chopped
1 tsp sage
1 tsp iodized sea salt
pepper

Combine walnuts, oats, eggs, soy milk, onion, sage, salt and pepper. Form patties. Brown in a trace of oil in a frying pan. Dissolve 1-2 soya cubes in 2 cups of boiling water. Pour over patties. Cover. Simmer until moisture is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Baked Stuffed Apples

2 apples
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tbsp brown rice flour
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
2 dashes nutmeg
1 dash ground cloves

Carefully carve out the apples to form a shell about 1/2 inch thick. Discard the core and seeds and save any leftover flesh. Chop all the saved apple innards and mix well with remaining ingredients. Heap filling into apple shells. Place in baking pan and add 1/4 inch of water to bottom of pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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Cinnamon Raisin Cookies
Gluten free, flourless and dairy free. Makes a tasty treat!

1.5 cups Almond Flour
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
2 egg whites, whisked until frothy
1/4 cup honey
2 handfuls of raisins (amount can be modified)

Bake at 350. I cover the cookie sheet with parchment paper instead of greasing it. Use a teaspoon to spoon batter onto the baking sheet into clumps – bake for 15 minutes then flatten each cookie as much as you like and bake for another 5 minutes.

Have it Your Way Stir Fry
Looking to up your vegetable intake? Here’s a great way!

1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 red pepper
1 cup of snow peas
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup of bok choy
1 cup of bean sprouts
1 cup of thinly sliced carrots

Protein options: Fish, tofu, chicken breast, cashews, almonds, sesame seeds

Seasoning options: Wheat-free soy sauce, almondaise sauce, kelp, hot pepper, salt, herbs, cumin, coriander, turmeric

Saute protein options until done. Stir fry vegetables in water or olive oil add protein option and seasonings.

For low carb, help yourself to a heaping serving of the stir fry as is, otherwise serve over a bed of rice or noodles.

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Crustless Pumpkin Pie (with low carb, gluten free, egg free and sugar free substitutions)
Can it be free of all that and still taste good you ask? You bet!

4 eggs*
1 – 796 ml can of pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups of brown sugar***
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy or almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cooking oil

*Egg substitute: 1/4 cup rice flour**, 2 tbsp. melted shortening or cooking oil, 2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 cup of water
**To make the recipe lower carb, you can replace the flour with protein powder and use the sugar substitute stevia or xylitol
***Sugar substitute: 5-6 packets of stevia
Note: Each of the above substitutions will tend to change the taste and consistently of the resulting pie slightly

Beat together egg or egg replacement. Add pumpkin, sugar or stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt until well combined.
Blend in milk, vanilla and oil. Pour filling into greased 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Makes one delicious pie.

Dairy Free (Vegan) Pesto Recipe

Makes ~3 cups

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
2-3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Roast pumpkin seeds in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blend to a fine crumble with walnuts and pine nuts in a food processor. Add herbs, lemon juice and garlic and blend until smooth. Slowly add olive oil in drizzle while processor is running until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Poached Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce
Fast, easy, elegant and a good source of protein and essential fatty acids.

6 (1 inch thick) salmon steaks
2 c. water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 sm. onion, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 sprig parsley

Sauce:

1 c. peeled, seeded and grated cucumber
1/2 c. plain organic yogurt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. minced parsley
2 tbsp. dill weed
1/4 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Combine sauce ingredients and chill for 3 hours.
Arrange salmon steaks in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Combine remaining fish ingredients in a separate bowl. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes on high. Pour over salmon, cover and microwave 5 to 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork (4 minutes per pound as a guide). Cool salmon in liquid. Serve cold with the cucumber dill sauce. Serves 6.

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Cashew Chicken

3 lbs chicken pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely chopped raw cashews
2 onions finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 whole cloves
2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Brown chicken evenly in oil over moderate heat and transfer to a dish. Pour off excess fat from the pan and add the onions, stirring frequently until translucent (about 5 minutes).

Add chicken stock, coconut milk and cloves. While stirring constantly, bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Return chicken and juices to the sauce and cook slowly, partially covered for about 30 minutes until chicken is cooked.

Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm. Sieve the cooking liquid to remove cloves. There should be about 1 cup of liquid, add more stock or water if necessary. Simmer in pan, stirring, add cashews, citrus juice and pepper.

Add chicken to warm. Serves 6.

Winter Immune Support Breakfast

4 cups of rolled grains – rye, barley, oats, spelt
2 cups of oat bran
1/2 cup of dried organic fruit
1 cup of raw, unsalted nuts
1 cup of lecithin granules
1 cup of flax seeds
1 cup of Milk Thistle seed

Keep this mixture refrigerated and grind only as much as you need when you need it. Soak for at least 30 minutes (overnight is better) in soy milk, almond milk or water. Top with some fresh or frozen berries.

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Chinese Chicken Herb Soup

This soup will require a trip to Chinatown to pick up some exotic sounding ingredients. These are all tonifying and immune boosting herbs.

1-2 lbs of chicken (1/2 chicken or chicken pieces)
1 astragalus root strip (boosts the immune system, available at a Chinese supermarket)
1 burdock root (boosts the immune system)
1 tbsp of each: Codonopsis, Dioscorea, Lycium, Polygonatum
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 slices of fresh ginger
6 cups of vegetables cut into bite sized pieces (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, green peppers, onions, parsley, potatoes, squash, string beans, zucchini – good for vitamins A and C important for the immune system)
1 cup of cooked barley (soothing to the digestive tract)

In a glass or stainless steel pot, simmer the chicken, astragalus, burdock, codonopsis, dioscorea, lycium and polygonatum in the water with the thyme, sage, garlic and ginger for 40-45 minutes. Strain out the herbs and use the water and chicken as a broth for the soup.

Add the vegetables and barley to the broth and cook. Allow to simmer slowly for 1 hour.

Serve warm. The soup can be strained and served as a broth or served with all the vegetables.

Makes six servings.

Cream of Squash Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 cups sliced carrots, steamed until tender
3 cups cooked and mashed acorn or butternut squash or sweet potatoes
2-3 cups almond milk, soy milk or vegetable soup stock
1/2 tsp each nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, ginger or curry powder

Sauté onions in oil until tender, adding water if needed. Add carrots and squash and 2 cups of stock/milk.

Bring to a simmer and heat through for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer back to pot and thin with stock/milk until desired consistency is reached. Adjust seasonings to taste using the nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon for a sweeter soup or curry and coriander for a more savory soup.

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Turkey Loaf
Here’s a healthy way to use up the leftovers from Thanksgiving.

3 cups of diced, cooked turkey
1 cup of spelt or gluten free bread crumbs
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tbsp finely chopped green pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, remove from pan.

Waldorf Salad

1/2 small head red cabbage
2 granny smith apples, cored and chopped
2 carrots grated
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)
1 jicama, peeled, grated and drained (optional)
1/2 cup plain, organic yogourt or Nayonaise

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the yogourt/Nayonaise, and mix well.

2. Add enough yogourt/Nayonaise to moisten and hold the salad together.

Jicama is a root vegetable that tastes similar to a pear or an apple when raw.

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Babaganouj (Eggplant Dip)

1 large eggplant
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 dashes cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup tahini
1-2 tbsp tamari soy sauce

1. Pierce eggplant in several places with a fork. Bake at 450 for about 35 minutes until tender and shriveled. Allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, rub dry herbs between your hands to grind.
3. Peel eggplant and mash or pur?e in blender
4. Add garlic, dry spices and parsley and mix
5. Add lemon juice and tahini and mix again
6. Season to taste with tamari. Serve with raw veggies or whole wheat pita bread.

Bean Salad (Serves 2-4)

2 cups cooked beans (navy, kidney, pinto, chickpeas etc)
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
Drained, marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
Chopped parsley and spinach

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover with your favourite vinaigrette and toss well. Serve over a bed of spinach with sliced tomatoes.

Vinaigrette Dressing

1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper and mustard powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 crushed garlic clove

Mix together in a glass jar. Shake well before using. Use as a dressing for bean salad, salad greens or for marinating cold or steamed veggies.

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Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
Juice of one lime
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 finely chopped tomato
1/2 tsp salt
Cayenne and black pepper to taste

Peel and mash the avocado. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. You can vary the texture and taste by adding any of the following chopped vegetables: green, red or jalapeno pepper, onion, cucumber, tomatillas and cilantro.

Kenyan Style Kale

You know those dark green leafy vegetables I’m always going on about? Well here’s a great way to enjoy them. What you get out of them is lots of folic acid, fiber, B vitamins, beta carotene, calcium, magnesium and trace minerals.

2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 scallions, greens and whites, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large bunch kale, washed with stems removed, chopped into small pieces
2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped

Begin sautéing garlic and scallions in oil in a heavy skillet. Add kale and begin to cook until kale is slightly wilted; then add tomatoes and cook until warmed through. Sprinkle with wheat-free tamari soy sauce.

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Provencal Vegetable Stew

1 tbsp olive oil
5-6 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 large onion or leek, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
1 tbsp powdered rosemary
2 tsp each: dried sage, thyme and basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 eight oz package tempeh, cubed
3 cups cooked white navy beans
1 cup water or vegetable stock
4-5 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup miso broth or 1 tbsp miso paste and 1 cup warm water

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, adding water to steam sauté. When soft and translucent, add the carrots. Add the herbs, rubbing them between your palms to release the volatile oils. Stir well and steam sauté for 5 minutes.

Add tempeh, cooked beans, water and tomatoes with their juice. Bring stew to a boil, stirring, then cover and simmer over low heat 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. If stew does not seem juicy enough, add 1 cup miso broth. Adjust herbs and seasonings to taste.

Red Pepper Rouille
Great with steamed cauliflower

4 red peppers, roasted and peeled*
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tbsp olive oil
1/8 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Pour boiling water over sundried tomatoes, allow to soak 5 minutes, then drain. Place all ingredients in food processor and coarsely process until blended.

*Note: Roasted red peppers – you can easily roast your own by brushing cut, seeded halves with olive oil and broiling until the skin blisters – watch that they don’t burn.

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Osso Bucco
I love this kind of recipe for cold winter days. I think the bones cooked in it add some immune boosting nutrients from the bone marrow too.

4 beef shanks (approx 1 1/2-lb each, preferably organic)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 large onions, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Flour
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 28oz can stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
2 cubes beef stock
2 cups water
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a deep pot. Add the carrots, onions, celery, and the minced garlic cloves. Cook gently until the onions are golden brown. Remove from pot.

Coat the beef shanks with flour (for gluten free, use rice or sorghum flour) seasoned with salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in large pot. Add the shanks and brown well on all sides. Add back vegetables to the pot and add the 2 cups of water, beef cubes, stewed tomatoes, wine (if desired), basil, thyme and bay leaf. Bring sauce to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and simmer for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Roasted Beets with Garlic and Rosemary
Beets are really two vegetables in one, a root vegetable and a green leafy vegetable. Don’t throw away the leaves, you can chop them up and toss them in a salad, lightly steam them or sauté in a little garlic and olive oil. The leaves are great for fiber, folic acid, iron and minerals, while the roots have B vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, potassium, sodium, phosphorous and folic acid.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
8-10 small whole scraped beets
2 cloves thinly sliced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Sprig of fresh rosemary

Grease a medium sized baking dish with oil, put in beets and shake until all sides are coated. Sprinkle with seasonings and top with rosemary. Bake covered in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes or until tender to a fork. Discard rosemary before serving.

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Holiday Treats – Millet balls – Wonderfully sweet, gluten and dairy free (NOT however low carb so enjoy in moderation)

1/2 cup nut butter (try raw organic almond, cashew or macadamia nut butter)
1/2 cup honey or brown rice syrup
1/4 cup soymilk powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups puffed cereal such as millet or rice
Optional: cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut

Mix nut butter, honey or rice syrup, soymilk powder and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Add puffed cereal and mix gently until thoroughly coated. Use greased hands to form the mixture into small (1″) balls. For variety, you can roll some in cocoa powder or coconut. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Roasted Root Vegetables
This time of year calls for cooked vegetables and root vegetables are available locally.

3 tablespoons butter (preferably organic)
3 cups unsweetened apple juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 pounds turnips
1 1/4 pounds parsnips
1 1/4 pounds carrots
1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes
1 1/4 pounds rutabagas
salt and pepper to taste

Boil apple juice and wine in a large saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 30 minutes. Whisk in butter or margarine.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Peel and cut vegetables into 1/2 inch pieces. Divide between 2 roasting pans. Pour apple juice mixture over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Roast until vegetables are tender and golden, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

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Carrot Salad

Mix together and chill for several hours:

2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
3-4 tbsp olive, flax, sesame or sunflower oil
2 tbsp pineapple juice

Broccoli with Lemon Sauce
This lemon sauce also works nicely with cauliflower, squash, or zucchini.

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cups broccoli florets

Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water. In a saucepan, whisk together the 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, and the Dijon mustard. Heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Continue heating and stirring until the sauce thickens. Add more lemon juice if desired. Blanch the broccoli in boiling water or steam until done, then toss with the lemon sauce.

Recipe yields 2 cups (2 servings).
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Low Carb, Gluten Free Blueberry Almond Breakfast Pudding

Ingredients:

1/3 cup almond meal
2 Tablespoons water
1 egg
1/4 cup blueberries – frozen or otherwise
Sweetener and flavoring to taste – see list below

Preparation:
Mix almond meal, egg, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 45 seconds. Move the cooked part of the pudding towards the center of the bowl and add blueberries and/or any mix-ins you want. Microwave for about 45-60 more seconds, depending on mix-ins (frozen fruit will need even longer cooking, as it will cool down the pudding). Stir and eat.

Possible Additions:

Fresh or frozen berries or other fruit
Unsweetened coconut
Peanut butter or other nut butters
Small cubes of cream cheese (any fat level)
Sugar-free maple or other syrup
Sugar-free jam
Chopped nuts
Stevia or xylitol

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Herb Frittata

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup minced herbs – mainly parsley, dill, basil plus some tarragon, oregano, marjoram or chives
2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
5 or 6 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the butter or oil in a medium-to-large ovenproof skillet, preferably non-stick, and turn the heat to medium. While it’s heating, beat together the eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, pour the eggs into the skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, for about 10 minutes, or until the bottom of the frittata is firm.

Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake, checking every 5 minutes or so, just until the top of the frittata is no longer runny, 10 to 20 minutes more. (To speed things up, turn on the broiler, but be careful not to overcook.) Garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings

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Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Banana Custard Pie

1/2 cup hot water or hot rice milk
1 tbsp unflavoured gelatin powder
1/2 cup pineapple or pear juice
1 egg
1/4 c safflower or flaxseed oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 ripe bananas
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut

Heat the water or rice milk in a microwave safe container for 30 seconds. In a blender, combine the hot water or rice milk and gelatin. Let the blender run until the gelatin is dissolved. With the blender running, add the juice, egg, oil and vanilla. Cut up 3 of the bananas and add them to the mixture while it is blending. Slice one banana into the bottom of an ungreased pie plate, sprinkle with the coconut. Pour the blender mixture over the banana slices. Garnish with coconut. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

Substitutions: You can substitute 1 1/2 cups of berries for the bananas.
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Quinoa Vegetable Soup

6 cups of water
1/2 cup quinoa
1-2 medium carrots, diced
1/2 cup chopped celery, onion and green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
1 tsp salt
chopped parsley

Sauté quinoa, carrots, celery, onions, green pepper and garlic in oil until brown. Add water, tomatoes and cabbage and bring to a boil. Simmer 20-30 minutes or until tender. Season to taste and garnish with parsley.

For more flavour, try brushing the onion, garlic and green pepper with a little olive oil and roasting in the oven first.

Sautéed Zucchini – serves 6

1 tbsp cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup toasted almonds, ground
2 tbsp minced almonds
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, and sauté until just tender and lightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and add to zucchini. Remove from heat, toss gently and serve immediately.
Pecan Apple Cleanser

Ingredients:

- ½ cup pecans

- 2 cups spinach

- 3 cups packed sliced kale leaves

- 1 celery stalk

- 1 seeded granny smith apple

- 1/4 cup blueberries

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup filtered water

Directions:

Put the nuts in your blender first to chop them up into tiny pieces, almost a powder, then add the remaining ingredients.

Source: http://livelighter.org/detox-blender-recipes/
Melt in Your Mouth Slow Cooker Chicken Legs

Ingredients

4 chicken legs

2 cups carrots, sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups of broccoli or cauliflower, cut in bite size chunks

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 MSG-free vegetable bouillon cube

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp celery seed

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

2 cups of water

Directions:

Add everything to the slow cooker, I cooked it on high for 5 1/2 hours and the meat was falling off the bone. I put all the veggies in the bottom and the chicken on top, as a result the veggies were a bit mushier than I would like. In future I think I will try putting the garlic, onions, celery and parsley on the bottom, then the chicken, then the carrots and broccoli on top of the chicken so that they get more steamed and less boiled.

Truffle Treats

These are super easy and healthy!

1/2 cup nut butter (I used macadamia nut butter but you could use any nut butter)

1/2 cup medjool dates

1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder

Combine all 3 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Form into 1″ balls and refrigerate.

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Nutty Cookies

Last week’s treat at the office was soft, chewy cookies that have no sugar, no dairy, no gluten, they’re low carb, vegan, Paleo and ultra yummy! The recipe is from Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo

2 bananas, smashed

1/3 cup coconut flour

3/4 cup nut butter (I used a combination of macadamia nut butter and sunflower seed butter)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup raw walnuts

1 apple

1/3 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Use a fork to smash bananas in a medium mixing bowl
Add coconut flour, nut butter and baking soda and mix well.
Cut apple into chunks and place it and walnuts in a food processor and process to a fine dice.
Add the walnuts, apple, coconut milk and cinnamon to the bowl and mix well.
Cover 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and drop batter from a tablespoon onto the parchment paper an inch or two apart. Bake for 25 minutes (my stove only took about 18 minutes). Makes 20-22 cookies.

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Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Seafood Chowder

Perfect for a cool, rainy day!

2 potatoes, peeled and finely diced

1 cup shredded carrots

1 onion, diced finely

3 stalks of celery, chopped with the leaves

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups chicken broth

1 ½ cups coconut or almond milk

Up to 1 lb shrimp (uncooked or cooked), cut into halves or thirds if large

1 lb scallops

½ tsp gluten-free Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tsp chives

1/2 tsp thyme

2 strips nitrite-free bacon, cooked and crumbled

Sautée potatoes in oil in a large saucepan or extra deep skillet for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and onion. Continue sautéing until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes more).

Add chicken broth and then gradually add in coconut/almond milk.

Heat over medium heat until mixture is thick and bubbling.

If adding uncooked shrimp, add now and cook for about 5 minutes. (Cooked shrimp would be added later)

Add scallops, Worcestershire sauce, salt, chives and thyme.

Cook over medium low heat until potatoes are adequately softened and chowder is thick and tastes like, well, chowder. Scoop out some of the vegetables, purée them and add them back as thickener. Add bacon and if adding cooked shrimp, add now and continue cooking over medium low heat just until heated through.

Serve and enjoy. Makes about 4 servings.

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Autumn Pork and Apple Stew
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients:

2-1/2 lb lean stewing pork, such as shoulder, cut in 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup gluten free flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
8 thin slices prosciutto or nitrite free bacon, chopped
3 onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups apple cider
1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried sage
5 large cooking apples (such as Northern Spy), peeled and thickly sliced
3 cups diced peeled rutabaga
1 large tomato
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

In large bowl, toss pork cubes with flour, half of the salt and the pepper. Set aside.

In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat; cook prosciutto, onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to large Dutch oven or flameproof casserole.

In batches, add pork to same skillet and brown over medium-high heat, adding more oil as needed and removing each batch with slotted spoon to Dutch oven.

Add cider to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan; pour over pork . Stir in rosemary, sage, remaining salt, 3 of the apples and rutabaga. Cover tightly and bring to boil. Transfer to 350°F (180°C) oven; bake, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours or until pork is very tender. (Stew can be prepared to this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day; reheat gently before continuing.)

In small, heavy skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat; sauté remaining 2 apples until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Peel, seed and chop tomato. Stir into cooked stew along with sautéed apples and parsley.

Slow-Cooker Pork and Apple Stew:
Finely chop onions and cook with prosciutto and garlic as directed, transferring to slow-cooker. Brown pork as directed, transferring to slow-cooker. Complete recipe as directed, but using only 1 cup (250 mL) cider and transferring all to slow-cooker; cover and cook, without stirring, on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours. Finish as above to serve.
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Stuffed Eggplant
1 eggplant
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 zucchini, chopped
4 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese or mozzarella flavoured rice cheese, grated (optional)
1 cup tomato sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 eggs (these can be left out if trying to avoid eggs)
1 tbsp dried thyme

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, do not peel. Hollow out centre of eggplant leaving about 1/2 inch of flesh in the shell and set aside. Layer cut out centre with liberal amounts of salt, put a weight on top and let sit for 1 hour to extract the bitter juices. Parboil hollowed out halves for 5 minutes. Next, rinse salt off the eggplant centre and chop it. In a large frying pan, combine olive oil, eggplant centre, garlic, mushrooms, onion, zucchini and celery. Sauté until translucent. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add eggs (if using) and thyme. Mix well. Fill eggplant halves halfway with cooked mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Add remaining stuffing and top with grated mozzarella, sauce and more grated cheese. Place in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until tender.
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Ratatouille
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley or 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
salt to taste
2 zucchini, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into rings
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Directions:
1. Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes, layer eggplant and salt in a colander so that most of the eggplant has salt on it, weigh down the top with a plate to extract bitter juices from the eggplant. Let sit for one hour then rinse the eggplant before proceeding.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic until lightly browned. Mix in parsley, basil, oregano and eggplant. Sauté until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
4. Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly salt. Continue layering in this fashion, with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
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Baked Carrots, Turnips and Rutabagas
2 large carrots, sliced them
1 medium turnip, cut in 1″ cubes
1 medium rutabaga, cut in 1″ cubes
1/4 cup veggie broth
1 Tbsp. apple juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. grated lemon rind

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Arrange veggies in dish. In small bowl combine broth, apple juice, honey and lemon rind. Drizzle over root veggies. Cover with aluminum foil and bake till tender, about 40-50 minutes.
Sweet Potato and Turnip Soup
1 leek
1 medium red onion
1 large turnip
3 sweet potatoes
1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
8 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Cut off dark green tops from leeks, rinse very thoroughly, and dice. Chop onion, and sauté leeks and onion in the bottom of a large soup pot in a little water until soft. Peel and dice turnips and sweet potatoes, and add to soup pot. Add a little stock and stew for 5 minutes, stirring gently.
Add the rest of the stock and the rosemary, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Purée about half of the soup in a food processor or blender, and return to the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper, heat and serve.
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Red Cabbage with Apples
2 cups apple cider
2-4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup grated red apple
Pinch of salt

In medium saucepan, bring apple cider, vinegar and allspice to a boil. Add cabbage, apple and salt. Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 4 servings.
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Traditional Kim Chi

Ingredients:
Head of Napa cabbage – about one pound
Sea salt
Water
Fine red chili flakes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3-4 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons anchovy or fish sauce (optional)
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 ripe apple
1/2 ripe pear

Directions:
1. Separate cabbage leaves and chop into bite-size pieces.
2. Dissolve a quarter cup of sea salt in a bowl of warm water, then pour salt water over cabbage leaves. Give cabbage a gentle toss to distribute salt water. Allow salted cabbage to sit for at least four hours.
3. Give cabbage a good rinse to remove excess salt, then transfer cabbage to a large bowl.
4. Combine a quarter cup of fine red chili flakes with warm water, stir gently with a spoon to create a red chili paste, then transfer chili paste to cabbage.
5. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, green onions, and fish sauce.
6. Blend yellow onion, apple, and pear with one cup of water, then add this natural sweetener to the cabbage.
7. Put on a pair of plastic gloves and give everything a thorough toss and rubdown. You want to evenly distribute all ingredients, especially the red chili paste.
8. Transfer seasoned cabbage leaves into a large glass bottle. Be sure to use firm pressure with your hands to push down on cabbage leaves as they stack up inside the bottle.
Transfer any liquid that accumulated during the mixing process into the bottle as well – this liquid will become kim chi brine. Some liquid will also come out of the cabbage leaves as you press down on them as they are stacked in the bottle.
Be sure to leave about 2 inches of room at the top of the bottle before capping it tightly with a lid. Allow bottle of kim chi to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
9. Your kim chi is now ready to eat. Refrigerate and take out portions as needed. The refrigerated kim chi will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator over time. So long as you use clean utensils to take out small portions, it will keep for up to a month in your refrigerator.

Source: http://www.drbenkim.com/recipes-kim-chi.htm

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Paleo Shepherd’s Pie
1 tbs. coconut or olive oil
4-6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
3 pounds ground beef
2 cups onions chopped
2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbs. fresh rosemary, chopped fine
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 small can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
6 cups (1½ L) Mashed Cauliflower

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of the oil and once hot, stir in the garlic, being careful not to burn.
3. Add in the ground beef and stir, combining with the garlic. Cook until the meat is browned.
4. Remove the beef/garlic mixture from the pan, then add in the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and thyme.
5. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots and celery softened.
6. Add the meat mixture back into the pan, and stir in the tomato paste, balsamic, and Worcestershire and bring to a simmer. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated off (especially if your tomatoes are really juicy).
7. Pour meat/vegetable mixture into a 9″ x 13″ baking pan, and with a rubber spatula spread a layer of the Mashed Cauliflower over the top, forming a solid layer of the mash.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mashed cauliflower is slightly browned on top.

Source: http://paleocomfortfoods.com/in-the-kitchen/farmers-pie/

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Healthy Hamburger Hash

Ingredients:

6 strips of nitrite free bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cubed (or 2 cups cubed carrots or butternut squash)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef or other ground meat (preferably grass-fed)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, bacon grease or lard
1-2 Tablespoons coconut flour
2 cups chopped chard, kale, spinach or other dark green leafy vegetables

Preparation:

1. Cook the bacon. While it’s cooking, chop onion, sweet potato/yam/carrots/butternut squash and mince garlic.

2. Remove bacon from the pan and sauté the onions in the bacon grease first until transparent or lightly browned.

3. Add sweet potatoes/yams/carrots/butternut squash and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.

4. Make room in the center of the pan and add the hamburger. Brown the hamburger.

5. Meanwhile, chop the greens.

6. Once ground beef is (mostly) browned, add the coconut flour. Mix and sauté until the sweet potatoes/yams/carrots/squash are soft enough for your taste. Add in the crumbled bacon.

7. Add the greens to the pan once sweet potatoes/yams/carrots/squash are cooked. Cook another 5 minutes or less, you don’t want to overcook the leafy greens.
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Spinach Avocado and Mango Salad
Dressing
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons hazelnut or almond oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad
10 cups baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
1 bunch small red radishes, sliced
1 small ripe mango, sliced
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 medium avocado, sliced
1. To prepare dressing: Whisk juice, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. To prepare salad: Just before serving, combine spinach, radicchio, radishes, yellow pepper and mango in a
large bowl. Add the dressing; toss to coat. Garnish each serving with avocado slices.

Avocado and Asparagus Salad

2 lb of asparagus
2 medium avocados
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1 tablespoon of fresh coriander
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
½ tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of fructose
1 teaspoon of fresh mint
Salt and pepper, to taste

Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus, then steam until just tender and
bright green.

Plunge the asparagus into cold water to halt the cooking time and drain
well. Set aside.

Peel the avocados then dice the flesh. Toss with the lemon juice and lemon
zest, then add to the asparagus.

For the dressing, whisk the white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, olive
oil, fructose, mint and parsley.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then pour over the asparagus.

Toss lightly, refrigerate and serve.
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Gingerbread Cookie Tea

2 tbsp fresh ginger root sliced

2 cinnamon sticks

½ tsp lemon or orange peel, grated

5-6 cups of water

Bring to a boil briefly then reduce to a simmer in a pot with a tight fitting lid for 10 minutes.

Add the juice of ¼ to ½ lemon and a little raw honey to a cup, add the simmered ginger, cinnamon, citrus peel decoction and enjoy.

Cinnamon Chai
No dairy, no sugar and no caffeine, but lots of flavour

Chai Mix:
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
1 tablespoon whole cardamom seeds (not in pods)
4 small cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces

1 cup vanilla soy or rice milk
1 teaspoon honey

Stir together all chai mix ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon chai mix to a tea ball, add to soy or rice milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and steep for 3 minutes. Strain and stir in honey. Store extra chai mix in an airtight container. Also good over ice in the summer.
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Mulled Apple Cranberry Cider
2 cups apple cider
2 cups pure cranberry juice
2 strips fresh orange zest
1 cinnamon stick

Combine cider, cranberry juice, orange zest and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Super Gluten Free, Egg Free Shortbread Cookies
Makes 8-10

1⁄2 cup grass fed butter at room temperature (or dairy free butter substitute)
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
3⁄4 cup sweet rice flour
1⁄2 cup assorted dried fruit, finely diced [optional]

In a large bowl, stir together butter, cornstarch and sugar. Add flour and fruit if desired and combine well. Form dough into a log. Roll tightly in plastic wrap, folding in edges. Freeze for 45 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 325°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap dough and slice log into 1⁄4-inch rounds. Place rounds onto cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and serve. Stores up to one week in an airtight container.
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Christmas Morning Gluten-Free Apple-Cranberry Cake
Adapted from Karina’s Kitchen

Dry ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup organic light brown sugar, packed

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup rice milk with 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add-ins:
2 cups chopped apples
1/2 cup frozen cranberries, chopped

Topping:
Sprinkle of raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine your dry ingredients: sorghum flour, buckwheat and tapioca flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and
baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, brown sugar. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl combine the wet ingredients: eggs, light olive oil, applesauce, vanilla rice milk with vinegar, honey and vanilla.
Whisk till combined.

Add the wet into the dry ingredients and stir until a smooth batter forms. If you need a tad more liquid add a tablespoon at a time to achieve a smooth –
but not too thin cake batter.

Add half the apples and cranberries and stir in. Reserve the rest for the top.

Scoop the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth evenly. Press the remaining chopped apples and cranberries into the batter. Sprinkle lightly with raw sugar.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes until golden around the edges and firm in the center. Use a cake tester to test for doneness.
Cool on a wire rack.
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Mincemeat Cookies
Sugar free cookies for the holidays!
Ingredients
2 cups unbleached kamut flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11 tablespoons (1 1/3 sticks) cold butter, cut into small chunks
6 to 7 tablespoons cold water
1 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup dried apricots or dates, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup all-fruit apricot preserves
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
Preheat oven to 375°F. Put both flours and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse again, several times to blend butter and flour, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until a ball of dough forms in the processor. Remove and let the dough stand for just a few minutes. Divide in half and roll each half out into a rectangle, about 5 by 14 inches.

Place nuts in a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop them. Add apricots, raisins, coconut, preserves and applesauce and pulse until finely chopped and blended. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the rectangles of dough. Roll up lengthwise into logs and place seam side down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before carefully slicing, using a serrated knife.

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Sweet and Sour Quinoa

(Makes 4 servings. Gluten and Dairy Free Recipe)
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups of vegetable stock
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried apricots
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes
1/3 cup sunflower, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts, mixed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
A small bunch of fl at leaf parsley
A small bunch of chives

Place the quinoa in a large saucepan and pour over the stock, then cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 15
minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the stock. Flu ff the quinoa with a fork and then set aside. Place the mixed seeds and pine nuts in a dry frying pan and heat over medium heat for around 6 – 8 minutes or until golden and toasted, shaking the pan every few minutes to stop the seeds from scorching. Finely slice the apricots and sundried tomatoes and chop the fresh herbs. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large serving bowl. Add the raisins, apricots, tomatoes, seeds and pine nuts and herbs to the quinoa and stir together. Pour over the olive oil and lemon juice, season well and toss together before serving.

Recipe adapted from TheIntolerantGourmet.com
Breakfast Squares
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small carrot, shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 whole scallion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
4 oz. firm tofu, cut in 4 pieces
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. iodized sea salt
1 tsp gluten free tamari soy sauce (optional)
5 ounces (1/2 package) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 cup cooked quinoa

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a loaf-shaped baking pan with oil. Set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the carrot, onion, scallion and turmeric until the carrot is soft, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixture into a mixing bowl.

Squeeze each piece of tofu to eliminate excess water. When it resembles cottage cheese, place it in a food processor or blender. Add the egg, soy sauce (if using) and salt. Purée until smooth. Transfer to the bowl with the cooked vegetables. Stir in the spinach and quinoa. With a rubber spatula, mix until well combined. Spread the mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking pan.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until firm to the touch in the center. Cool completely in the pan. Turn out onto a cutting board and cut into 4 squares. Wrap pieces individually, then place in a zip-lock plastic bag and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer for two weeks. Eat at room temperature or after being gently warmed in a microwave.
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Paleo Jambalaya
1 tsp coconut oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4-5 carrots cut into strips
4 cloves of minced fresh garlic
1 1/2 cups fresh okra, sliced into 1/2″ rounds
1 lb pork or turkey sausage (mild or spicy), cut into bite size chunks
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/3 cups salsa (mild, medium or hot depending on your taste)
a pinch or two of sea salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 16 ounce bag of frozen already cooked shrimp (thawed and drained)
1 pound of uncooked bay scallops
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
a lot or a little Tapatio hot sauce (optional)

Heat oil is a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add carrots and cook for about 4 minutes. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the okra and saute for 2 minutes. Add sausage and cook for 2 more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except for shrimp, scallops and parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in shrimp, scallops and parsley and cook 5 more minutes until shrimp are warmed through and scallops are cooked. Serve with hot sauce if desired.
Basic Caribbean Black Beans
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped medium
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ripe large tomatoes, diced (8 oz. can diced tomatoes may be substituted)
2 (16 oz.) cans no added salt black beans, undrained
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. sage
Cayenne or crushed red pepper, to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil over medium-high heat in saucepan. Sauté onion, bell peppers and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and continue to sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

Add beans, cumin, oregano and sage and stir in gently. Season to taste with cayenne pepper, if desired. Let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently and frequently.

Sprinkle cilantro over beans and serve.
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Paleo Lasagna
Cauliflower Cream Puree
2 cups cauliflower
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 tablespoon of grass fed butter or coconut oil

Meat Sauce
1 lb grass fed hamburger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp Italian herbs
1 1/2 cans crushed tomatoes (these are actually more like puréed cooked tomatoes)

3 small-medium zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise
8-10 leaves of fresh basil
1 cup baby spinach

Optional (not Paleo):
1 pkg Daiya mozzarella flavour cheese substitute
12 rice lasagna noodles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Sauté hamburger over medium heat with garlic until browned and add herbs. Mix half of the crushed tomatoes into the hamburger. Cook the cauliflower in the stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat until soft. Add butter or coconut oil and purée in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Spread a layer of crushed tomatoes over the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ pan, add a layer of zucchini “noodles” (or rice noodles). Add a layer of meat sauce and crushed tomatoes, then the cauliflower purée, the daiya cheese (if using), and a layer of baby spinach. Tear up the basil leaves and spread them over the spinach. Add another layer of zucchini or rice noodles and finish with a layer of meat sauce and any remaining crushed tomatoes. The rice noodles need moisture so make sure (if you are using them) to smother them in lots of crushed tomatoes. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the zucchini/noodles are cooked and the lasagna is bubbly.
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Slow Cooker Barbequed Pork Butt
1 3-4 lb pork butt roast (I cut mine in half to make it fit better)
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups baby carrots
1/2 cup onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup barbeque sauce (I like Amazing Dad’s BBQ sauce because it’s all natural, gluten free and sweetened with honey)

Throw it all in the slow cooker, cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 6 hours and serve with a salad.
Moroccan Baked Tilapia
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. sweet Spanish paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 lb. (about 4 pieces) tilapia
Cilantro or parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.

In small bowl, whisk together cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, black pepper and cayenne until combined. Pat pieces of fish dry with paper towels. Coat fish on both sides with olive oil, and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle each filet liberally on both sides with spice mixture, using about one-quarter for each piece of fish.

Bake fish 12 to 15 minutes without turning, or until opaque white in center at thickest point and flakes easily. Serve immediately.
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Quick Italian Chicken with Roasted Peppers
2 red bell peppers (or use roasted jarred peppers)
2 green bell peppers (or use roasted jarred yellow peppers)
2 tsp. olive oil, plus additional if roasting fresh peppers
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 onion, chopped
16-oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped (regular parsley maybe substituted)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3/4-1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)

If roasting peppers, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove stems and seeds from peppers, cut lengthwise into eight pieces and brush pepper pieces with olive oil on both sides. Arrange on cooking sheet or baking dish, pressing down to ensure they are relatively flat and being careful to place them without overlapping.

Bake peppers for about 12 minutes. Use tongs and turn them over and bake an additional 12 minutes or until they start to char. [Note: monitor carefully since time will vary depending on how close to the heating element they are.] Set them aside uncovered.

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in large skillet. Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute. Add onion and continue cooking until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper, and broth.

Add chicken breasts to skillet. Increase heat to medium and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Turn chicken breasts and continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes or until sauce is reduced by about half and chicken is cooked through. (Meat thermometer should read 170 degrees when inserted to center of breasts.)

Add roasted peppers to heat through, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve, ladling remaining sauce over chicken and garnish with almonds.
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Spinach Salad with Creamy Beet Dressing
1/2 cup finely chopped, drained canned beets, or vacuum-packed cooked beets (see note)
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup French green beans
3 cups baby spinach
2 medium endives, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, about 1 cup
2 Tbsp. sweet onion, cut in very thin crescents
1 small roasted or cooked beet

For dressing, place beets, mustard, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of broth in blender and whirl until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of blender as needed. With the motor running, pour in remaining broth, then oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 3/4 cup thick dressing. Dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered, for 24 hours. If necessary, before using, thin chilled dressing with additional broth and adjust the seasoning.

Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge immediately into bowl of cold water. When beans are cool, drain well and set aside.

In mixing bowl, combine spinach and endive, then divide between 2 salad plates or wide, shallow bowls. Sprinkle onions over greens, then add green beans.

Cut beet crosswise into thin slices. Cut each slice into matchsticks and sprinkle over salad. Drizzle on 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Serve immediately.

Note: When buying beets in a can or jar, be sure they are not pickled.

Makes 2 servings.
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Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried
Organic Olive oil to coat
Celtic Sea Salt
Chili powder, curry powder or your favorite spice blend

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain the chickpeas, rinse them under cold water and dry them well or the oil won’t adhere . Toss them in oil and spread them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes moving them around every 5-10 minutes until crispy but not burnt. As soon as you take them out sprinkle with salt and seasonings.

Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot
Ingredients

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped celery

1 cup vegetable stock (optional)
1 large chicken

Directions

Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
Loosely chop the celery and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
Put prepared chicken on top of the celery in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid, but you can add the vegetable stock if you wish.
Cook for 4 – 5 hours (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone. You can make your homemade stock with the leftover bones by covering them with liquid adding some vegetables like celery, carrots, onions and garlic and leaving the crock pot on low overnight.
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Apricot Ginger Chicken – serves 2
Preparation time – 15 minutes, cooking time – 30 minutes.

2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise

Sauce:
1/2 cup twice the fruit jam – apricot
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together all sauce ingredients, set aside.
Place chicken breasts on a roasting pan. Baste with apricot mixture and bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. Keep basting and turning over every 10 minutes.
Last 5 minutes of cooking, turn the oven to broil. Lightly brown the chicken just before serving. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
Chicken and Chickpea Casserole(Serves 4)
3 medium chicken breasts
1 medium red onion
1 large carrot
1/2 can chick peas
1 1/4 cups of corn
1 1/4 cups of canned tomatoes
1 bouillon cube
5 dashes of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Chop the onion into sections, break the layers apart and
put them into an ovenproof casserole dish. Peel and slice the carrots about a quarter of an inch thick.
Cube the chicken breast and add to the dish with the carrots and all the remaining ingredients.
Mix the ingredients and then cover with a lid. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes, then serve.
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Roasted Red Pepper “Hummus”

2 cups of raw pecans (can use walnuts, cashews, almonds)

1 tsp cumin

1 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers (drained but save the liquid)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of fresh garlic

2 tsp red pepper liquid

1/2 tsp iodized sea salt

Process nuts and cumin in a food process until finely ground. Add roasted peppers, olive oil, garlic, red pepper liquid and sea salt. Process until smooth and well blended. Serve with fresh cut up veggies.

Pumpkin Seed and Olive Pate
Use sparingly on vegetables

Ingredients:
1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds OR walnuts
20 large oil cured olives (Morrocan, Greek), pitted
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
small handful chopped parsley, spinach and/or cilantro
1 tbsp. virgin olive oil

Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and coarsely grind until well mixed.
2. If no food processor available, grind in mortar and pestle until well mixed.
3. Refrigerate

Variation:
1. Add roasted red peppers, various fresh herbs: basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme.
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Grilled Peach Salsa
2 peaches, halved
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup honey

Brush grill with vegetable oil and grill peach halves face down for several minutes. Flip over so skin is down and grill until skin begins to darken and they can be easily pierced with a fork. Allow to cool and remove the skins, chop. Add tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. Stir in honey and cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 20-30 minutes before serving for the flavours to blend. Serve with grilled chicken, pork or fish.
Roasted Ratatouille with Eggs
Ingredients

1 small eggplant, (about 12 ounces), trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon iodized sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
6 large eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a high rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
Combine eggplant, onion, zucchini, bell pepper and garlic in a large bowl; drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast the vegetables, uncovered, turning them over often, until they are lightly browned and tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cut tomatoes into chunks. Stir the tomatoes (and their juices), basil and parsley into the vegetables. Cover with foil.
Bake about 20 minutes until the ratatouille is hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven.
With a large spoon, make four evenly spaced indentations in the hot ratatouille. Carefully break an egg into each indentation. Bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set, 8 to 10 minutes.
To serve, lift 2 eggs and ratatouille from the baking dish. Spoon the remaining vegetables and juices around the edges, distributing evenly. Garnish with more basil, if desired. Serves 3.
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Beet and Berry Smoothie

4 beets, cooked and peeled
2 cups (500 mL) unsweetened coconut water
1 cup (250 mL) frozen strawberries

1 cup (250 mg) frozen blueberries
1 lime, juiced

Blend all ingredients together until mixture is smooth. Add in a scoop of your favourite protein powder if you wish to make this into more of a meal. Serves 2.
Baked Quinoa
Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cup fresh broccoli florets
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain soy milk, almond milk or rice milk
1/4 t. Freshly ground pepper

Optional: 3/4 cup of daiya non-dairy cheese, cheddar or pepper jack flavour

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a 9″ pie plate or casserole dish and set aside.

2. In a medium-sized sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine the water, quinoa and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Place the broccoli florets on top of the quinoa, cover, and let the saucepan rest on the warm burner for about 5 minutes, or until the florets are bright green and crisp.

3. Meanwhile, beat the egg in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the milk alternative and pepper, whisking until combined. Stir in the daiya cheese, if using. Place the quinoa-broccoli mixture in the prepared casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture over top, mixing gently if necessary. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Allow the baked quinoa to cool for 10 minutes on a wire cooling rack before cutting into slices and serving. Serve hot.
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Balsamic Eggplant Dip
2 eggplants
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp (45 mL) tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/3 cup (75 mL) balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp (45 mL) sundried tomato oil or olive oil
Salt and pepper
A few leaves fresh mint, chopped (for garnish)

Place whole eggplants on grill at medium heat and grill until skin is soft and begins to collapse, then set in refrigerator to cool.

Peel and scoop out flesh, then put in a medium-sized bowl. Add garlic, tahini, balsamic vinegar and sundried tomato oil (or olive oil) to bowl, and blend with a hand blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with mint.

Serve with crackers or flatbread or as a sandwich spread.
Mango Lime Salsa
This salsa goes well with Grilled Sea Bass

2 large mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries, halved
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried spearmint leaves, finely chopped
Dash of sea salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients. Best if left to refrigerate for 3-4 hours before use.
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Broccoli Sprout Salsa
Ingredients

One small red onion, diced
5 small Roma tomatoes, diced
1 bunch of broccoli sprouts, chopped
1 lime
1 cup of pre-cooked sweet corn
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl excluding the lime. Mix well and squeeze the lime juice over the salsa and add salt and pepper
to taste. For best flavor results, let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve cold with veggies if desired, or as a side dish.
Grilled Fish with Asparagus, Almond and Heirloom Tomato Salad
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 pound (500 g) heirloom tomatoes or a mixture of red and yellow tomatoes, cored and sliced into wedges
1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped almonds, roasted
1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced red onion
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing steaks
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt, plus more for brushing steaks
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) pepper, plus more for brushing steaks
4 (6-ounce) orange roughy, or other firm fillets, about 1 inch thick
Lay asparagus in a large skillet, and cover with salted water. Cover and bring to a boil, cooking 5 to 7 minutes, or just until tender. Let cool, cut into thirds, and combine with tomatoes, almonds, onion, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover salad and set aside.

Preheat grill or broiler. Season fish steaks with salt and pepper, and brush with olive oil. Grill 4 to 5 minutes per side at medium-high heat, or just until fish is opaque throughout. Top grilled fish with heirloom tomato, asparagus and almond salad and serve. Makes 4 servings.
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Roasted Salmon with Salsa

2 medium plum tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-4 dashes hot sauce
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 6 portions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, salt and hot sauce to taste in a food processor; process until finely diced and uniform.
3. Place salmon in a large roasting pan; spoon the salsa on top. Roast until the salmon is flaky and a consistent pink throughout, about 15 minutes.

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Baked Trout with Parsley Pesto
For pesto
1 garlic clove
1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
6 basil leaves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Juice of one fresh lemon juice

For trout
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 trout fillets
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

To make pesto:

With motor running, drop garlic into a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add parsley, oil, nuts, sea salt,
1/8 teaspoon pepper and purée until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice.

Bake trout:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Brush bottom of a large shallow baking pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Put fillets,
skin sides down, in baking pan and drizzle with lemon juice and remaining tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, red-pepper
flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Bake fish until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness). Serve fish with pesto.
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Grilled Asian Salad
Dressing
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp sesame seed oil
2 tsp wheat free tamari soy sauce
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Salt to taste

Salad
12 asparagus spears, julienned
1/4 red pepper, julienned
1/4 yellow pepper, julienned
1/4 zucchini, julienned
1/4 red onion, julienned
2 Tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds
4 English cucumbers, seeds removed, julienned
Handful cilantro leaves
4 handfuls baby spinach

Preheat barbecue or counter top grill to high.
For dressing: Place all ingredients in a bowl, whisk together, and adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.
For salad: Add asparagus, red pepper, yellow pepper, zucchini and red onion to medium-sized bowl. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, season with salt, and toss to coat. Place vegetables in a grill basket or on the grill and grill until vegetables begin to soften. Remove from heat and return to medium size bowl. Add dressing, cucumber and half of the cilantro, and gently toss together.
Place equal amounts of spinach on four plates. Top with equal amounts of grilled vegetable salad. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro leaves.
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Ginger Pear Energy Bars

1 small pear, cored
3/4 cup fresh or soaked dried dates
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup hemp flour
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
Sea salt to taste
2 tbsp sesame seeds

In a food processor, process all ingredients except the sesame seeds. Cover ginger pear mixture in sesame seeds before shaping into balls or bars.

Makes approximately 12 1-3/4 ounce energy bars.

From: The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier
Garlicky Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix
Canola oil spray
1 cup pumpkin seeds (scooped whole from the pumpkin then washed and dried and pre-toasted for 30 minutes in a 300-degree oven; or hulled, prepackaged from the grocery store)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. water1 cup blanched, slivered almonds or chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat baking sheet with canola oil spray. Either pre-toast whole seeds from pumpkin (as noted above), or spread hulled seeds on pan in one
layer and toast in oven for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine garlic powder and cumin. Thoroughly whisk in Worcestershire sauce and water. Remove toasted seeds
from oven. When cool, add to bowl with sauce along with walnuts. Toss to coat evenly. Spread seeds and nuts on baking sheet in one layer. Bake about 5-10 minutes, until crisp.
Remove from oven, let cool and gently loosen from pan with end of metal spatula. Store in a tightly covered container.
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Spicy Tomato Fish Chowder
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 pound), peeled, cored, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup of chicken broth
3 cups water
1/2 pound cod or other white fish fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 red pepper, chopped into chunks
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, and broth, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
Add 3 cups water, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer. Mix in cod and red pepper and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Ladle tomato fish chowder into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.
Quinoa Vegetable Soup
6 cups of water
1/2 cup quinoa
1-2 medium carrots, diced
1/2 cup chopped celery, onion and green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped cabbage
1 tsp salt
chopped parsley

For more flavour, try brushing the onion, garlic and green pepper with a little olive oil and roasting in the oven first.
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Pork, Apple and Sage Soup
1/2 onion, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1 pork chop
1 tbsp bouillon
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
Pepper
2 cups boiling water

Chop the onion and the apple into small pieces and sauté in a little olive oil until the onion is slightly brown. Slice the pork chop into thin strips and then chop into small pieces and sauté for one minute being careful not to overcook. Add the bouillon, sage, sherry and boiling water to the pan. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes then serve.
Sesame Stir-Fried Asparagus and Peas
2 teaspoons hulled sesame seeds
750 g asparagus
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 cup frozen peas

Toast the sesame seeds in a small heavy frying pan over low heat, stirring frequently until golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to prevent further cooking.
Cut the asparagus on the diagonal into 4 cm lengths. Spray a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the asparagus and peas to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the asparagus is crisp-tender and the peas are heated through, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the stir-fried asparagus and peas and toss well to combine, then serve.
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Asian Asparagus
1 Tbsp wheat free Tamari soy sauce
½ tsp honey
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
½ pound asparagus
1 cup leeks, sliced thinly
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup vegetable broth
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Combine the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, sesame oil and water and set aside. Trim the asparagus and cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces. Have the remaining ingredients ready.
Heat wok or a heavy skillet; when very hot add the cooking oil and then the leeks and mushrooms. Cook for just a minute, then add the ginger and garlic, stirring only for a few
seconds. Add water, and asparagus, stir once more and add the broth. Reduce the heat and cover, simmering gently until the asparagus is tender. Uncover and turn up the heat,
bring to a boil, add the sauce (ensure that the cornstarch is dissolved) and stir constantly for one minute until the sauce is thick. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Asparagus, Tomato and Pine Nut Salad
Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, lightly steamed/stir-fried and cut into 2″ pieces
4 plum tomatoes, cored and quartered
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
In a large bowl combine the asparagus, tomatoes and pine nuts. In a small bowl blend together the garlic, vinegar, Dijon mustard and olive oil with a fork or whisk. Pour the dressing
over the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
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Easy Salmon and Lentil Supper

Two 1/4 lb salmon fillets
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil and dried thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano
2 tsp (10 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) mushrooms, sliced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) dried brown lentils, rinsed
4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place salmon in an oiled baking dish. Combine garlic and onion powders, herbs and lemon juice with 3 Tbsp (45 mL) water; pour over salmon. Top with
mushrooms and tomato. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, basting with the liquid. Meanwhile, cook lentils using package directions
(or use canned). Place salmon on two plates, add lentils on side and garnish with lemon.

Serves 2

Sausage and Lentil Simmer

Ingredients:

6 sausages
olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced, or 2 tsp (10 mL) bottled chopped garlic
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
19 oz can lentils
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano leaves or sage leaves
4 large sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
2 cups baby spinach

Directions

Prick sausages with a fork. Lightly coat a large frying pan with oil and set over medium-high heat. Add sausages. Turn occasionally until lightly browned all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and cut in half.
Reduce heat to medium. Add more oil if needed, then garlic and onion. Stir often until onion starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half. Drain and rinse lentils, then drain again. Pour broth into pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up and stir in any brown bits. Then stir in tomatoes and any juices, lentils, vinegar, oregano and thyme.
Return sausages and any juices to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sausages are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs. Add spinach and stir until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon into bowls.
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Citrus-Grilled Chicken with Melon Salsa
1 lb chicken breasts
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1 jalapeño chili
1⁄3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 teaspoons gluten free soy sauce
4 cups mixed salad greens

Melon Salsa
1 large cucumber
1 small cantaloupe, diced 2 cm thick
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh basil

Sprinkle pepper on both sides of the chicken. Devein and seed the jalapeño chili (wear gloves when handling, as it can burn); chop finely. Stir 2 tablespoons lime juice, garlic, soy
sauce and 1 teaspoon jalapeño in a pie dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature, turning once, while preparing the melon salsa.
To make the melon salsa, halve the cucumber lengthwise. Remove the seeds by dragging the tip of a spoon down the centre. Place the cucumber cut-side down on a board, and
slice 1/8″ thick. Toss the cucumber, cantaloupe, tomatoes, basil and remaining jalapeño and lime juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Preheat the broiler or barbecue. Discard the marinade from the chicken mixture. Lightly coat both sides of the chicken with nonstick cooking spray (preferably olive oil). Broil or
barbecue the chicken until the juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side, turning only once. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut the meat diagonally into strips,
about 1/2″ thick. Toss with the melon salsa. Divide the salad leaves among 4 plates and spoon a quarter of the citrus-grilled chicken and melon salsa on top of each. Serve.
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Apple and Sprout Salad
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 red-skinned dessert apple
1 cup mung bean sprouts
3⁄4 cup alfalfa sprouts
1⁄2 cup sunflower kernels

Oriental Dressing
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1⁄2 teaspoon sesame oil
1⁄2 teaspoon wheat-free soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
pepper to taste

Cut the carrot into 4 cm lengths. Slice thinly lengthwise, then cut into very fine matchsticks. Cut the celery into matchsticks the same size. Core the apple and cut into 8 wedges,
then thinly slice the wedges crosswise to make fan-shaped pieces.
Combine the carrot, celery, apple, mung bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts and sunflower kernels in a mixing bowl. To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients, seasoning with
pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well to coat evenly and serve.

Apple and sprout salad variations: For a more substantial salad to serve as a light main dish, you can replace the mung bean sprouts with sprouted green or brown lentils, and stir in
100 g diced tofu.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Sausage Ragu
Servings 6

Ingredients:
6 chicken thighs
6 mild/hot Italian sausages cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 small onion grated or sliced thin
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 medium carrot grated
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (or 2 fresh with seeds and skin removed)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion power.
2. In a bowl, mix the spices, pepper, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, carrot, and onion.
3. Cover the bottom of the cooking vessel in sauce.
4. Layer in the chicken.
5. Cover with sauce and place on the bay leaf.
6. Layer in the sausage.
7. Pour on the rest of the sauce.
8. Cook on low for 7 – 8 hours.
9. Remove the chicken and sausage to a platter and cover.
10. Remove the bay leaf and reduce the sauce to desired thickness.
11. Taste and adjust seasoning.
12. Cover the chicken and sausage in the sauce.
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Quinoa Pilaf
2 tbsp olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, peeled and diced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook carrots and celery, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until tender. Add quinoa and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
Add bay leaves, broth, squash and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Warm Shiitake Walnut and Quinoa Salad
1 cup ( 250 mL) water
1/2 cup (125 mL) quinoa
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
4 oz ( 125 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) wheat-free soy sauce
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and fresh cracked black pepper
2 tbsp (25 ml) walnut oil

2 tsp (10 mL) maple syrup (yes I know it’s sugar, but it’s only 2 tsp!)
1 tsp (5 mL) grainy Dijon mustard
8 cups (2 L) arugula, watercress or spring mix salad greens
1 cup (250 mL) toasted California walnuts, roughly chopped

In small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, leave covered for 15 minutes.

In large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add shiitake mushrooms and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

In small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tbsp of walnut oil with maple syrup and Dijon mustard.

Add arugula and California walnuts to hot mushrooms in pan. Stir in quinoa and drizzle with oil mixture, stirring to combine.

Serve warm shiitake walnut salad immediately.
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Chicken Cacciatore
2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/2 lb button mushrooms, quartered
1⁄2 cup reduced-salt chicken stock
1 can (796 ml) crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 sprigs Italian parsley, plus 1 tablespoon chopped to garnish
1⁄4 teaspoon paprika

Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs, and then sprinkle them with pepper. Lightly coat a large frying pan with olive oil and set over high heat until hot but not smoking. Pan-fry the chicken until golden-brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery and mushrooms. Fry until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary, parsley sprigs and paprika. Return the chicken to the frying pan. Simmer, partially covered, until the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, rosemary and parsley. Sprinkle the chicken cacciatore with the extra chopped parsley and serve.
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Grain-free Granola
1 1/2 c. slivered almonds
1 1/2 c. pecan pieces
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. pumpkin seeds

1/2 c. coconut oil
1/6 c. maple syrup
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. medjool dates, chopped

Preheat oven to 275 degrees Celsius. Combine nuts and seeds in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil over low heat, stir in maple syrup and cinnamon. Pour coconut oil mixture over nuts and seeds and mix. Spread nut/seed mixture on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent scorching of the nuts and seeds. Remove from the oven. We prefer to add the dates and raisins after the nuts and seeds have cooked to prevent them getting burned, but you could add them before cooking if you prefer. Let cool on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Variations: You can use any nuts and seeds you prefer – cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, sesame seeds, etc. You can use honey in place of maple syrup and you can vary the dried fruit to include cranberries, dried apple, dried mango or pineapple, just make sure the dried fruit is unsweetened and don’t overdo it because of the sugar content.
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Roasted Vegetables with Walnut Vinaigrette
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb beets, peeled, cut into wedges
1 lb carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb turnip or rutabaga, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 fennel bulb, sliced
2 cups walnut halves
1 tsp each coarse salt

Walnut Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp walnut oil (or olive oil)
2 tbsp balsalmic vinegar
1 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp apple cider
1/2 tsp each coarse salt
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven; preheat to 425°F (220°C).

Whisk olive oil, thyme and rosemary in large bowl. Add sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, and fennel; toss to coat.

Divide between two rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables until tender and brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Add walnuts to vegetables and continue to
roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately sprinkle with salt.

Vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk together walnut oil, vinegar, orange zest, apple cider, salt, and parsley.
Arrange roasted vegetables on a large platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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Quinoa with Spinach and Pine Nuts
200 g quinoa
50 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 1⁄2 cups reduced-salt vegetable stock
60 g pine nuts
250 g baby spinach
juice of 1⁄2 lemon
Himalayan sea salt to taste

Place the quinoa and dried apricots in a large saucepan and stir in the stock and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer for 15–20 minutes or until all the
liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small nonstick frying pan until they are golden-brown and fragrant. Set aside. Add the spinach
and lemon juice to the quinoa and season with sea salt. Cover the pan and leave to cook over a very low heat for 4–5 minutes to wilt the spinach. Stir the quinoa and spinach mixture
gently, then spoon into a serving bowl. Scatter the toasted pine nuts on top and serve immediately.
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Curried Pumpkin and Walnut Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp each salt
1 tbsp mild curry paste
4 cups homemade (or MSG-free) vegetable or chicken broth
4 cups cubed pure pumpkin
1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
2 cups original/unsweetened soy/almond/coconut milk

Garnish:
Coriander sprigs
Chopped, toasted walnuts

In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and salt and cook, until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in curry paste and cook one minute more.

Stir in broth and bring to boil over medium high heat. Add pumpkin and simmer, until pumpkin is very tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer pumpkin with liquid to blender,
add walnuts and process in batches until smooth. The mixture will remain quite thick.

Return pumpkin walnut purée to pot and slowly whisk in soy/almond/coconut milk. Heat soup over low heat just until heated through. Do not bring back to boil.

Serve in warmed bowls, garnished with a sprig of coriander and toasted walnut pieces.
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DIY Herbal Teas

With the cooler weather, we want hot drinks to warm us up. For the do-it-yourself’ers, you can make your own herbal tea blends. You can either harvest your own herbs, or pick some up in bulk at health food stores like Noah’s or The Big Carrot. Here are some suggestions, but feel free to experiment and come up with your own creations. If you find something spectacular we would love to hear about it! Once you’ve made your blend, add 1 teaspoon per cup of tea to a tea ball, add boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. Keep the rest in a tightly sealed jar to preserve the volatile oils. Enjoy!

Strawberry Ginger Tea

1 cup of dried mint leaves
2 cups of dried strawberry leaves
1 tablespoon of powdered ginger

Cinnamon Rose Hip Tea

1 stick of cinnamon
1 cup of dried rose hips
1 teaspoon of dried, grated lemon peel
1/4 cup of dried lemon grass or lemon balm leaves

Cinnamon Clover Tea

2 sticks of cinnamon
2 cups of dried clover blossoms
1 teaspoon of dried, grated orange peel
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Spicy Carrot Chickpea Soup
Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs carrots, cut into 2 1/2 inch chunks

6 tbsp coconut oil, divided
1 whole head of garlic
1 large onion, diced
1/3 cup freshly grated ginger
8-10 cups chicken stock (salt free is best)
1 can (19 oz) chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
salt to taste
1 tsp honey
1/2 to 1 tsp paprika
1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder
1 lime, zest and juice

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Peel the carrots, then cut off the tops. Chop them into 2 1/2 inch lengths and toss with about 1/4 cup of oil, then toss to coat. Dump them out onto the baking sheet and roast,
stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Meanwhile take a small piece of foil, place the garlic in the center, and drizzle with oil. Wrap up and roast in the oven with the carrots, checking
at around 30-35 minutes so that it doesn’t burn. When the garlic is tender, unwrap and let cool.

While the carrots are cooling, sauté the onion and fresh ginger in a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium heat, stirring until soft and translucent. Add the roasted carrots and
squeeze the roasted garlic into the pan. Stir in the paprika, curry powder and stir for about a minute before pouring in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and
simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally.

Uncover the soup, and using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until fairly smooth. It will become thick, you can thin it out with more broth if you like. Stir in the chick peas, cilantro, honey, then zest the lime, cut it in half, and squeeze the juice into the pot. Taste and adjust for seasonings, adding salt, or more curry powder and paprika if you wish. Bring to a simmer over low heat and heat through.
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Mushroom and Winter Vegetable Soup
1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small head green cabbage, shredded
1 1/4 cups frozen baby lima beans
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl, combine shiitakes and 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes, then remove mushrooms, reserving liquid. Trim stems from mushrooms and coarsely chop caps. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl.

Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté at least 5 minutes or until onion is golden. Add carrot and parsnip and sauté 5 minutes or until carrot is crisp-tender. Stir in cabbage and cook, covered, 5 minutes or until beginning to wilt. Stir in 3 cups water, mushrooms, soaking liquid, lima beans, dill, tomato paste, vinegar and salt. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 25 minutes or until mushroom and winter vegetable soup is richly flavoured.
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Chicken with Lemongrass
1 small red chili, split open lengthwise but otherwise left whole
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 4 slices
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut in half
1 1/2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces, such as breasts or thighs, skinned
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 lb thin green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise with a vegetable peeler into thin strips
1⁄3 cup canned coconut milk
zest and juice of 1 lime
Sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Place 4 cups water in a saucepan over high heat. Spear the chili, garlic and ginger on a wooden cocktail stick or skewer (this makes them easy to remove later) and add to the pan together with the lemongrass. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for about 30 minutes.

Return the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken pieces, shallot and green beans, and poach for 12–15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked (test with the tip of a knife—the juices should run clear). Add the zucchini slices for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, beans and zucchini to a warmed bowl. Add a little of the poaching liquid to keep them moist, then cover tightly and keep warm.

Return the liquid to a boil and add the coconut milk, stirring until it dissolves. Continue boiling for about 5–6 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about one-third.
Remove the chicken meat from the bones and shred it roughly. Return the chicken meat, beans and zucchini to the soup and stir, then reheat briefly. Stir in the grated lime rind and juice. Season with sea salt.

Divide the chicken and vegetables among 4 soup bowls. Spoon over the liquid, discarding the lemongrass and stick of chili, garlic and ginger. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve.

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Pork & Apple Stir Fry
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp wheat-free tamari soy sauce
1 orange, rind (finely grated) and juice
1 lb. (450 g) pork tenderloin, trimmed of any fat and sliced across the grain
Salt to taste
1 tbsp + 1 tsp coconut oil
1 onion, sliced
2 parsnips and 2 carrots, sliced into sticks
2 apples, cored and sliced

Combine garlic, honey and soy sauce with orange rind and juice; set aside. Season pork with salt. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a frying pan until hot but not smoking, then add pork. Sear until golden on both sides and remove from pan. Add a bit more oil, then add the onion. Stir-fry until golden, then add parsnips and apples. Stir until tender and browned. Pour in soy mixture and return pork to pan; stir-fry until pork is cooked through. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves 4.
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Trout, Grapefruit & Green Beans
2 fresh trout fillets (about 1 lb)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
2 red grapefruit
1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed

1. Place trout fillets onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with garlic, thyme and salt.

2. Using serrated knife, cut both ends off grapefruit. Using sawing motion, cut skin and white pith off and discard. Cut grapefruit between membranes into segments into large bowl. Squeeze remaining membrane of grapefruit over trout fillets.

3. Place trout in 425°F oven for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

4. Meanwhile, in saucepan of boiling water, cook green beans for about 7 minutes or until tender crisp. Drain and add to grapefruit segments. Serve with trout.

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Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon
Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
3 pieces of bacon, diced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 tsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Pink Himalayan salt

Pre-heat oven to 375F.

In a bowl, toss together the cauliflower florets, diced bacon, garlic, and olive oil. Spread out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.

Roast for about 20-22 minutes, stirring every now and then, until all the bacon is cooked through. Watch carefully towards the end because it can go from almost cooked to burned in only minutes.
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Green Tea “Cheesecake”
For the crust:
2 1/2 cups raw soaked almonds
3/4 cup soaked dates
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the “cheese” filling:
2 cups soaked cashews
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp soy lecithin
1 tbsp coconut butter
2 tbsp matcha green tea (powder)
1/4 cup honey
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
Water to blend (minimal)

For the crust: In a food processor, pulse nuts until fine. Add remaining ingredients and blend until a pliable dough is formed. Press into the bottom only of a 9” springform pan.

For the “cheese” filling: Mix cashews and remaining ingredients in a blender until creamy. Pour onto crust. Place torte in a cold fridge or freezer to speed up the setting of the torte. Allow to set for at least a couple of hours. Cut into 12 pieces and serve.
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Sugar Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, NOT Paleo though)
1 cup Earth Balance or Vegan Becel margarine (if dairy isn’t a problem, use pastured butter)
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
Egg Replacer for 1 Egg
1 1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

Dry Ingredients (sift everything together in a medium size bowl, set aside):

3/4 cup Brown Rice Flour
3/4 cup White Rice Flour
2/3 cup Potato Starch
1/3 cup Tapioca Starch
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

In a medium bowl, or bowl of a stand mixer, add margarine or butter and powdered sugar, beat by hand or on medium speed until fluffy, reduce mixer speed to low.

Add egg replacer and vanilla extract, mix until combined.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients then slowly increase speed and mix until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Roll out the dough and cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and put cookie sheet on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before decorating.
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New Year’s Resolution Smoothie

Tackle all your New Year’s Resolutions with this one drink – get more B vitamins, minerals, folic acid, beta carotene, gently flush your liver and kidneys and get more essential fatty acids.

6 or 7 kale leaves or 2 cups of spinach
half a lemon, peeled
1/2 inch of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 small green apple, cut in 1″ cubes
1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
4 celery sticks, chopped
1/2 cup berries
1 tsp flaxseed oil or fish oil

Blend until smooth and drink!
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Tuscan Mixed Bean Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 3⁄4 cups chicken stock
1 large can (796 ml) crushed tomatoes
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (540 ml) red kidney beans
1 can (540 ml) pinto beans
1 can (540 ml) chickpeas

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic, onions, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Place the kidney and pinto beans and the chickpeas in a colander; rinse well and drain. Stir them into the soup. Cook until the flavours develop, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Very coarsely purée about a quarter of the soup using a blender or food processor, very coarsely purée, and return to the pan. Ready to serve!
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Vegetable Curry
10 small pickling onions (unpeeled)
1/4 lb dried mung beans, soaked overnight, drained and well rinsed
13⁄4 cups vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup coconut cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon garam masala
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
1⁄8 teaspoon crushed dried chilies
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/2 lb carrots, diced
1/2 lb parsnips, diced
1/2 lb cauliflower, cut into small florets
1/3 lb frozen peas
1/3 lb white cabbage, shredded
chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Blanch the onions in a medium pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain well and set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add the beans to the pan of boiling water and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes or until tender. Drain well and set aside.
Bring the stock to a boil, add the coconut cream and stir well to mix. Set aside.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the ginger and garlic to a paste. Stir in the ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric and chilies until well blended.
Heat a large wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When hot, add the coriander seeds, cumin and mustard seeds. Fry for 30 seconds or until the seeds give off their aroma. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the seeds to paper towel on a plate. Add the remaining oil and the spice paste to the wok. Reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the carrots, parsnips and 2 tablespoons water, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut stock and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower, peas and onions. Cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring back to a boil, then boil for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and all of the vegetables are just tender.
Add the cabbage, beans and fried spice seeds and stir-fry to wilt the cabbage. Serve stir-fried vegetable curry immediately, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander, if using.
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Squash and Apple Soup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
3 medium MacIntosh apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
3 medium Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add squash and sauté 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Add apples, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg and stir to coat. Add stock and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Working in batches, transfer to a blender or food processor, cover, and purée until smooth. Return squash and apple soup to pan and cook until heated through.
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Sauteed Kale
2 bunches kale, roughly chopped (about 8 cups)
2 tbsp cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, try lemon infused olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp salt

1. Wash kale well and leave a little water clinging to leaves.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until tender but not brown.
3. Add kale and sauté, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until wilted and tender. Season with salt.
Chicken Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya with Quinoa and Corn Tomato Salad
from Fresh Dish at www.FreshDish.com

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
6 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
12oz spicy chicken andouille sausages, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup scallions chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
8 oz canned corn
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh basil

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a colander with two changes of water, draining dry between rinses.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil with the quinoa, half the garlic and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in heavy-bottomed large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped sausage and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp. water, the remaining garlic, the scallion whites, bell peppers and celery. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until the tomatoes release their juices, about 3 minutes. Stir in the quinoa. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat, stirring, until the quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes.
While the mixture is cooking, make the corn and tomato salad: Combine the lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large, glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl. While continuously whisking, add the oil in a steady stream until completely incorporated. Add the remaining tomatoes, basil, and corn and toss until well coated. Set aside.
Stir the sliced sausage, the shrimp and quartered tomatoes into the quinoa mixture; add 1/4 cup water (or more) if the pot is dry. Cover and cook over low heat until the sausage is heated through and the shrimp are opaque, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the scallion greens on top. Enjoy!
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Easy Vegetable Bake
Normally, we wouldn’t smother veggies like this, but we had a family function to go to this past weekend and so we wanted some healthy veggies suitable for an occasion, that all the kids in the family would eat (mine knows he has to eat them steamed or stir-fried).

INGREDIENTS: for one 9×13 pan

10 c. veggies {about 3.5 c. carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower}
1 10 oz tub soy cream cheese
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning {or just throw in some basil, oregano, thyme, etc.}
1 1/2 cups Daiya cheddar cheese
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted Vegan Becel, lard, tallow or pastured butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cook the vegetables in boiling water until tender crisp {not necessary if using frozen vegetables}
3. Drain vegetables and add in soy cream cheese — stir until melted
4. Add in garlic and other seasonings — mix well
5. Add in Daiya cheese — stir until melted
6. Transfer mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan
7. Pour melted fat over gluten free bread crumbs and mix well
8. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the vegetables
9. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until crumb mixture is golden brown.
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Banana Muffins

(adapted from Eat Like a Dinosaur)

1 cup macadamia nut butter (or almond butter, or sunflower seed butter)

4 eggs

2 very ripe bananas

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

Optional: 1/3 cup dairy free mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or line muffin tins with paper cups.

Blend nut butter, eggs, bananas, cinnamon, baking soda and sea salt in a food processor or blender. (or get an arm workout by beating like a crazy person)

Fold in chocolate chips (if using).

Spoon into prepared muffin tins or greased loaf pan.

Bake 30 minutes for a small loaf, 15-18 minutes for muffins.

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Grain-Free, Low Carb Pancakes

Adapted from Paleo Pals

2 ripe bananas

1/3 cup coconut flour

6 eggs

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl mash bananas until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together until well blended. Grease a large skillet with coconut oil and heat over medium heat. Scoop 1/4 batter per pancake and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Makes 11-12 pancakes.

Mango Mandarin Popsicles

Super easy, super healthy, refreshing and they contain all the fiber from whole fruit! What could be better?

1 1/2 mangos, peeled and cubed

3 Mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned

Purée mango and mandarin and pour into popsicle molds and freeze at least 3 hours. Run the mold under hot water to get them out and enjoy!

Summer Chicken Salad
3 cups baby spinach or spring mix salad greens
2 boneless chicken breasts, grilled & thinly sliced on the diagonal
2-3 thin slices Sweet Vidalia onion
1/2 cup raspberries
1 cup strawberries, halved
3 Mandarin oranges, sectioned
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and olive oil or raspberry vinaigrette dressing
1/8 avocado, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup pecan halves

Combine the spinach/salad greens, grilled chicken, onion, raspberries, strawberries and oranges in a salad bowl. Top with salad dressing, pecans and avocado.
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Apricot Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:
2 pounds carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced
1/3 cup very ripe apricots, pureed
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:
1. Add carrots to a steamer and steam until tender. Drain.
2. Sauté puréed apricots in coconut oil for 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in nutmeg, salt, orange zest, and lemon juice. Add carrots, and stir well to coat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Kale Salad with Almonds and Oranges
Serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, washed and roughly chopped
2 juicy oranges
2-3 tbsp sliced toasted almonds
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

For the dressing: Combine the juice of one orange with the olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Shake or stir until combined.
For the salad: Peel the other orange and separate the sections (removing the white pith). Chop orange sections into a couple pieces and place in bowl with kale and almonds. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well to coat (may have leftover dressing). Serve.
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Almond & Lemon Crusted Salmon with Caramelized Onions and Basil
Serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 (4-6 oz) wild salmon fillets, skin removed
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
Lemon zest from 1 lemon, cut into small fragments
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown and caramelized, 30-45 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and keep warm.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease the bottom of a large baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Put almond meal and lemon zest together in a wide shallow dish.

Rub remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil on salmon fillets, season with salt and pepper, and press each fillet into the almond meal-lemon zest mixture until coated. Arrange salmon fillets in baking dish in a single layer and bake until just cooked through and flakey, about 15 mins.

Transfer salmon to plates, top with caramelized onions, garnish with green onions and basil and serve.
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Garlic Stir-Fried Broccoli
Serves 4.

Ingredients:

Garlic Pesto

½ cup chopped garlic cloves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
4 cups broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
1-3 teaspoons Garlic Pesto
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium gluten free soy sauce.

Directions:

To prepare pesto: Pulse garlic cloves in a food processor until well chopped. Add oil and process until somewhat smooth. (Makes about 2/3 cup.)

To prepare stir-fry: Heat oil in a large flat-bottomed carbon-steel wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add broccoli; cook, stirring, until bright green and the garlic is light brown. Stir in Garlic Pesto to taste. Add soy sauce; cook, stirring until broccoli is cooked.
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Quinoa Tabouli Salad
6-8 servings.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
Sea salt to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:

Cook quinoa following package directions. Chill thoroughly.
Add scallions, parsley, mint and tomatoes to the quinoa. Add salt and pepper to taste
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and garlic until blended. Add to quinoa and veggies and mix until thoroughly combined. Chill before serving.
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Crispy Kidney Beans and Swiss Chard
Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
6-7 stalks and leaves of chard, separated from each other and chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice to taste (1/2 lemon)

Directions:
Add olive oil to a pan on medium heat. Add beans and cook for approx. 5 mins until beans are crispy.

Add onion, garlic and Swiss chard stalks with a little salt and pepper. Cook for another 5-6 minutes until onion and chard stalks soften.

Add chard leaves and mix. Cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until chard has cooked down.

Serve and squeeze a little lemon juice over each serving.
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Chicken & Quinoa Paella
Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups quinoa
1/4 teaspoon saffron, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
Dash cayenne
2-3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 lemon, zested
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, half of the paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken pieces to coat. Cover and refrigerate.
Rinse quinoa well in a bowl or through a fine strainer.
Sauté garlic in a deep non-stick skillet with a little olive oil for a minute. Add quinoa and saffron and cook, stirring for a few minutes. Add rest of paprika, cayenne, tomatoes, tomato paste, lemon zest, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir in marinated chicken and onion; cook 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper; cook another 5 minutes.
If more broth is needed in quinoa, add more. Cook until quinoa is done, then remove the cover, stir in peas, and cook uncovered until peas are warm and all the stock is absorbed.
Spread quinoa onto serving tray. Top with cooked chicken and peppers mixture. Add salt to taste.
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Seaweed Salad with Miso Dressing
Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried wakame seaweed
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium miso paste
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium gluten-free soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp white roasted sesame seeds (and more to sprinkle on top)
1 scallion, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:

Place the wakame in a mixing bowl and soak in tepid water for about 20 minutes.
Remove from water, squeeze dry, and trim off the tough spine. Cut into thin strips and place in a mixing bowl.
Grind the sesames seeds in a mortar and pestle. In a separate bowl combine miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, mirin and the ground sesame seeds for the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the wakame. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
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Cioppino
Serves 6.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cups stock, either fish, vegetable or chicken
1 – 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
2 cups red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Merlot
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound mussels, debearded and scrubbed
1/2 pound oysters, shucked and in their liquor
1/2 pound halibut, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound salmon, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound raw shrimp (approx, 12), peeled and deveined

Directions:

Heat oil in a large, deep soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, oregano and red pepper flakes with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add red wine and boil until it has reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with their juice, and stock and simmer covered for at least 30 minutes on medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

After the stew has simmered for some time, add the mussels and oysters to the cooking liquid. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes until the mussels begin to open. Add the shrimp, halibut and salmon and simmer gently until the fish and shrimp are just cooked through and the mussels are completely open, about 5 minutes longer.

Adjust the seasoning (if necessary), remove bay leaf. Ladle the cioppino into deep bowls. Garnish with a mix of basil and parsley.
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Great Grain-free, Low Carb Muffins

1 1/4 cups almond flour

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 eggs

1/8 cup xylitol

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 very ripe bananas, cut in chunks

Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease your muffin tins (you can’t use paper liners as the flourless muffins will just stick to them).

Place all of the above ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Stop the blender and stir once or twice to ensure that all the ingredients are blended in.

Pour batter into muffin tins to make 8-10 muffins. The muffins won’t rise as much as a regular muffin would because they are flourless, so you can fill the muffin tins until they’re almost full.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until the tops are springy and a toothpick comes out clean.

Variation: In place of the ripe bananas, use 1 cup of applesauce. We like to use blueberry applesauce.

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Pumpkin Seed & Nori Crackers
Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin seeds (soaked for a minimum of two hours)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 packet stevia
3 nori sheets

Directions:

Drain water from soaked pumpkin seeds

If using oven pre-heat to 320 degrees

Place all ingredients except nori sheets in a food processor and process until well combined.

Place nori sheets on a pan lined with parchment paper or on dehydrator sheets. Lightly moisten nori sheets with water using wet fingers. Spoon pumpkin seed mixture evenly over nori sheet. Score into triangles with a large knife

Bake at 320 in the oven OR dehydrate for 12 hours at 115 degrees

Remove from oven or dehydrator and cut into scored lines or break apart.

Store in a glass container for 7-10 days

Source: http://stefanya.ca/blog/recipes/starters/pumpkin-seed-nori-crackers/

Quinoa and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes
*NOTE: Spinach contains a high amount of iron, but did you know it also contains a high amount of oxalic acid which prevents iron absorption? Eating tomatoes, or other food sources of vitamin C, with your spinach will aid in the absorption of iron.

Ingredients:

4 large ripe but firm tomatoes
Salt
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup quinoa
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups fresh spinach
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring vegetable stock and quinoa to boil in a medium saucepan. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender; 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the top off each tomato. Spoon out the insides to create a hollow cavity. Sprinkle salt into the hollow cavity of each tomato and rest upside down on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack to extract juice, about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and add onion, cook for about 3 minutes. Then add spinach and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until spinach is wilted. Add the quinoa to the spinach and add parsley. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Evenly divide the filling among the tomatoes. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until tomatoes are soft and filling is just browned on top, about 15-20 minutes.

Spinach Salad with Salmon

1 skinless salmon fillet
Salt and ground pepper
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons walnuts

Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves (or a small pinch of dried rosemary)
Salt and ground pepper

Put all vinaigrette ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well combined.

Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Place salmon on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil without turning, until opaque throughout, about 7-9 minutes. Let cool briefly, then flake the fillet into pieces.

Put spinach, tomatoes on plate or bowl. Top with salmon and walnuts. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

*DID YOU KNOW?: Turmeric possesses anti-inflammatory properties and has been used in traditional medicines for easing the pain of sprains, strains, bruises and joint inflammation as well as for treating skin and digestive issues. The healing power of turmeric comes from its active ingredient – curcumin, which lowers the levels of two enzymes in the body that cause inflammation. Also, ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory that has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese to cure pain. Ginger also helps relieve nausea, arthritis, headaches, menstrual cramps and muscle soreness. Additionally, coriander has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to treat various types of pain.

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
3/4 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 small green chilli, halved lengthways
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 1/2 cups (375ml) salt-reduced vegetable stock
1/2 large cauliflower (about 500g), trimmed, cut into florets
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1 cup frozen peas
Squeeze of lemon juice
Handful coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
2 cups cooked quinoa

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Cook the onion for 10 mins until soft, then add the garlic, ginger and spices. Cook for 1 min more. Stir in the tomatoes, stock and the chilli, then bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add cauliflower and chickpeas, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for a further 3 minutes or until all the vegetables are just tender. When the vegetables are cooked, remove the chilli, stir in a squeeze of lemon juice and scatter with coriander. Serve with quinoa.

Hearty Healthy Chili

**The meat and beans in this hearty recipe will provide a healthy dose of B vitamins.

2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 pounds lean ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1-2 tablespoons chilli powder
1 (8 ounce) package of mushrooms, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
3 cups vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
Salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the ground beef, season with salt and pepper; then remove from the pot. Cook onions, carrots and celery in the pot for about 5 minutes. Mix in bell peppers and garlic. Season with chili powder. Continue cooking until peppers are tender.

Then add the mushrooms. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, black eyed peas, garbanzo beans, corn, and vegetable stock. Return the beef to the pot. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. If chilli looks slightly dry at any point, add more vegetable stock. Chili can sit at low heat for a couple hours to let flavours meld.

Avocado, Strawberry, Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

3 cups baby spinach
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing:

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
Salt and pepper

Mix all the dressing ingredients together and whisk until combined.

Place all salad ingredients together in a bowl and toss with dressing.

Beet, Spinach and Walnut Salad

This traditional recipe usually includes goat cheese, but instead we’re going to make a fermented nut “cheese” that will resemble the look and taste of goat cheese!

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

Almond Nut “Cheese”:
1 cup almonds, soaked, drained and skins removed
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic
Salt

Salad:
2 cups baby spinach
2 cups beet greens, cut to bite-size pieces
2 medium or large roasted beets
6 tablespoons nut “cheese”
1/4-1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the “cheese”:

1. Soak almonds overnight in water. Drain and remove the skins.
2. Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. This will take a few minutes.
3. Place nut mixture in a colander lined with cheese cloth
4. Give a light squeeze and place in the refrigerator over-night to set up.
5. You can use the “cheese” at this point or if your want it more firm you can place it in a dehydrator for 6 or more hours (at 115 degrees) to form a rind.

For the salad:

Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth and emulsified. Dress the spinach and beet greens with the vinaigrette. Thinly slice the beets with a mandoline slicer or by hand with a knife. Arrange the thin beet slices in a circle at the bottom of each plate. Place the dressed greens in the center of the plate. Place nut “cheese” around the plate, and top the salad with the walnuts.

Seafood Pasta with Spinach and Pine Nuts (gluten- and dairy-free, NOT low carb)

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound small scallops
1/2 pound shell-shaped rice pasta (or any other desired shape)
1/2 package grape tomatoes
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/8 – 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup chicken broth or dry white wine (or half and half)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Rinse shrimp and scallops; pat dry with paper towels. To a pot of boiling water, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook rice pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine chicken broth/white wine, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper; set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and garlic and cook shrimp and scallops over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until they are opaque. Remove shrimp and scallop mixture from the skillet.

Add a touch more olive oil (if necessary) to the skillet and heat cherry tomatoes for a couple minutes; season with salt and pepper. Then, remove tomatoes and put them with the seafood mixture. Carefully add the broth mixture to the skillet. Bring to a boil, and boil gently for 5 minutes uncovered. Then reduce heat and cover for 2-3 minutes. Return the seafood and tomato mixture to the skillet, and add the spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted and seafood is heated through; 1-2 minutes.

Add seafood and spinach mixture to the pasta; toss to combine. Transfer into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
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Stir-Fried Quinoa with Veggies
The recipe can be altered to add more or less veggies and different types of veggies or protein ie: tofu, shrimp, chicken etc.

¾ cup quinoa
2 cups gluten free chicken stock
6-7 medium mushrooms thinly sliced
6-7 mini carrots finely chopped
Handful of snow peas cut in 3 pieces
Small wedge of cabbage thinly sliced and cut in 3 pieces
1 small clove garlic finely chopped
2 eggs
1 green onion thinly sliced
4 slices bacon chopped
1 green onion thinly sliced for garnish at end
Gluten Free Tamari Soy Sauce – 2-3 tbsp
Sesame Oil 2-3 tbsp

Toast quinoa in a dry pot until med-dark brown stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn 5-7 mins Pour in stock and let simmer until stock has been absorbed by quinoa – about 10 -12 mins. Put lid on and let it sit for 5 mins until all of the stock is absorbed and quinoa is dry.

Meanwhile, in a large frypan fry chopped bacon until almost cooked. Add mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, 1 green onion and garlic. Saute until slightly browned – 3- 5 mins . Add cabbage and cook 1 minute. Push mixture aside and fry 2 eggs (scrambled) until completely cooked chopping it with the wooden spoon. Mix cooked egg into the veggies/bacon and add quinoa – stir well. Mix in soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste and if needed add more soy sauce and sesame oil. Garnish with chopped green onion.

Serves 2-3 people
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Healthy Fruit Leather (great for kid’s lunches!)
Yield: 10 strips

Ingredients:
2 apples finely diced
10 strawberries diced
1 ruby red grapefruit
stevia/maple syrup to sweeten if needed
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1/4 c water

Preparation:
Place fruit in pot with the water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until fruit soft and liquid reduced. Add cinnamon and salt to mix and stir.
Transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Taste and add sweetener if needed. If add sweetener, blend again until well combined. You should end up with 2-3 cups of fruit.
Heat oven to 250-300F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and pour fruit on top. Spread out so even and thin (the thinner the better! You may want to use 2 trays if you don’t have one that is big enough). Place on lowest shelf in oven and bake for 8-12 hours (author used 9 hours at ~250). Remove from oven and cut into strips. Let the leather cool before moving it off the tray. Roll up and tie with string if you would like. Store in airtight container. Lasts for about a week.
Enjoy!
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Sausage Stuffed Delicata Squash
Serves 6

Ingredients:
4-5 delicata squash, peeled

Sausage:
2 Tbsp fat of choice (lard, coconut oil)
2 onions, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 pastured sausages
1 bunch kale, washed & chopped into bit size pieces
sea salt & pepper
Cauli-Rice:
1 head cauliflower
2 Tbsp fat
sea salt & pepper

Preparation

Squash:
Place whole squash in oven, preheating to 400F. Leave squash in for 25 minutes (including the preheating time).
Remove squash from oven, cut down length and scoop out seeds. Place cut side down on baking sheet & bake for another 15-20 mins. When squash gives under pressure, it’s done.
Sausage:
While the squash is baking, prep all veggies – dice onions & peppers, mince garlic, wash & chop kale. Heat 2 Tbsp fat in large pan on medium heat. Add onion and pepper; season with salt and pepper. Saute ~7-8 mins.
Add garlic to pan and cook for 2 mins. Then remove sausage from casings and add to pan. Season again with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally until sausage cooked through (~5 mins).
Next add kale to the pan, stirring and cooking for ~ 5 minutes. Add to the cooked cauli-rice and stir to combine.
While sausage cooking, wash cauliflower and cut into chunks. Using shredder attachment on food processor, and shred into small pieces.
Heat 2 Tbsp fat on medium heat and add cauli-rice to pan, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper. Stir and let cook ~5 mins.
To finish, turn over to broil and flip squash so skin side is down. Fill squash with mix of cauli-rice and sausage, packing it down. Top with more mixture and broil for 3-5 minutes, taking care not to burn! Serve immediately
Enjoy!

From: http://www.amandanaturally.com/sausage-stuffed-delicata-squash/

Immune Boosting Chicken Broth

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bunch parsley

If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts including neck and wings into several pieces. Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavourful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This adds additional minerals to the broth.

Strain the broth. Let chicken pieces cool and remove chicken meat from the bones. Use for chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches, stew or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

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Chai-Spiced Snowball Cookies
Author: A Couple Cooks

Makes: 15-20
Vegetarian, gluten-free

Dairy-free/vegan alternatives

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup butter or vegan butter alternative, room temperature
3 tbsp coconut sugar, or substitute white sugar
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix together butter and sugar with hand or stand mixer until fully combined. Add the remainder of the ingredients (except powdered sugar) and mix until cohesive dough forms. Turn out onto plastic wrap and shape into a ball, refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll into approximately 20 1-inch balls, pressing the dough together as necessary where it is crumbly. To make this easier, keep half of the dough refrigerated while rolling out the other half.

Place cookies onto baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, turning pan halfway through, until cookies are light golden brown but still soft. Remove from oven and cool on pan for 10 minutes; once hardened, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Once completely cooled, place 1/4 cup powdered sugar on a plate and roll each ball into the sugar until coated.

Recipe from https://www.acouplecooks.com/gluten-free-chai-spiced-snowball-christmas-cookies-recipe/

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Tahini Noodles

Author: Alexandra V Jones

Makes: 4-6 servings
Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free substitutions

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:

1/2 cup reduced sodium-soy sauce or tamari
1/2 cup tahini
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp agave syrup (vegan) or honey (not vegan)
1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sriracha
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Noodles and toppings:

1 lb dried spaghetti or gluten-free noodle alternative (or try out zucchini or spaghetti squash as noodles!)
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 cups fresh green beans, blanched in salt water and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta until desired consistency, usually 10 minutes. While pasta cooks, combine dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until creamy.

Add the dressing to the warm, drained pasta, carrots, onion and green beans. Can also top with sesame seeds, cilantro, or anything of your choice!

Recipe from https://food52.com/recipes/33897-tahini-noodles

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Healthy Chocolate-Hazelnut “Nutella” Porridge

Author: Tania Pilcher from Fit Foodie Nutter

Makes: 1 serving
Vegan, gluten-free, Paleo

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup oats (gluten free)

1 cup hazelnut or any other plant milk

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

2 tbsp maple syrup (or more to taste preferences)

Handful of roasted halved hazelnuts

1 tsp almond or hazelnut butter

1/2 banana for topping

Optional: 2 tbsp puffed amaranth, chia seeds, coconut flakes, other fruits to top

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small pan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the oats and puffed amaranth (if using) and turn down the heat to gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cinnamon and cacao powder and cook for another 5 minutes or so until most of the liquid is absorbed. If porridge is too thick at this stage, add some water to desired consistency.

Take porridge off heat; add maple syrup and almond/hazelnut butter and mix well. Tramsfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with roasted hazelnuts and other toppings and garnish with sliced banana.

Recipe from https://www.fitfoodienutter.com/recipe/nutella-porridge-the-healthy-way-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan/

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Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Green Harissa

Author: Adapted from Paula Disbrowe and Minimalist Baker

Makes: 4 servings
Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, Paleo, Mediterranean

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower:

1 large head cauliflower

1/4 cup olive oil

Saly and freshly ground black pepper

Green harissa:

2 tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1/2 onion, halved through the root

1-2 serrano chiles, as desired for heat

4 cloves garlic, unpeeles

2 cups fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

2 cups fresh parsley (leaves and tender stems)

Large handful each of arugula and spinach

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the leaves and trim the stem of the cauliflower, leaving core intact. Place the cauliflower on core side down on a cutting board. Starting in the center of the head, slice from top the bottom into four 1-inch steaks. Place steaks on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and any florets that break loose in a bowl. Drizzle oil over the steaks and florets and generously season with salt and pepper.

In an oven preheated to 400 degrees F, bake steaks and florets for 20-25 minutes, flipping carefully at the halfway point to ensure even browning on both sides, or until tender and browned.

To make harissa, blister the tomatillos, onion, chiles and garlic in a preheated small cast-iron skillet or grill basket over direct heat until slightly charred and softened, 4-5 minutes for tomatillos and chiles and slightly longer for the onion and garlic. Set aside to cool.

Stem and seed chiles, peel the garlic and place them both in food processor. Add the tomatillos, cilantro, parsley, arugula and spinach, vinegar, lemon zest and olive oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the warm steaks on a pool of harissa and garnish with crispy bits of florets and sprinkle of flaky salt.
Recipe from https://food52.com/recipes/75102-cauliflower-steaks-with-green-harissa with adaptation from https://minimalistbaker.com/shawarma-roasted-cauliflower-steak/

Farro & Roasted Vegetables
Recipe from: https://www.thefullhelping.com/farro-roasted-vegetables-italian-salsa-verde/

Ingredients
1 cup farro (pearled or hulled)
6 cups raw autumn vegetables of choice, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used a combination of fennel, carrots, red onion, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and delicata squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper
For the Italian Salsa Verde:
1½ cups tightly packed, flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon course salt
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 tablespoon capers
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425F. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment or foil. Toss your vegetables with the olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on the sheets. Sprinkle with salt and a few turns of black pepper. Roast the vegetables for 25-35 minutes, or until tender and browning (the time may vary based on what type and proportion of veggies you use).
While the vegetables roast, cook the farro according to package instructions.
To make the salsa verde, place the parsley, garlic, salt, red pepper, and capers in a food processor fitted with the S blade. Pulse to break down the ingredients, then keep the motor running while you pour in the oil in a thin stream. Pulse in the nutritional yeast and vinegar, taste the salsa, and then adjust the seasonings as you like.
When the vegetables are ready, fold them together with the farro and about ¼-1/3 cup of the salsa verde, reserving the rest of it for drizzling at the table. Serve.

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Cinnamon and Flax Muffins

2 cups Ground Flax Seed
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2 tbsps Cinnamon
6 Eggs (room temperature)
1/3 cup Coconut Oil (melted)
1/2 cup Water (warm)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, mix together ground flax seed, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Use a whisk to stir until well combined.
In another bowl, beat eggs with a whisk for 30 to 60 seconds. Add coconut oil and water, mixing until combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until combined. Let the batter sit for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken slightly.
Divide the batter between muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Let cool and enjoy!