Kale Slaw Wraps

ngredients:
1 small bunch of kale, stemmed and shredded
2 large carrots, grated
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 small cucumber, diced
1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 can white cannellini beans
1-2 chile peppers, seeds and membranes removed
sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 avocado, peeled and sliced

4 corn tortillas for wrapping (or use lettuce wraps, or just eat as a salad)

Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale, carrots, tomatoes, green onions, cucumber, cilantro, beans, and avocado. Add the lime juice, olive oil, chiles, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and toss everything together to mix.

Shepard's Pie with Black Eyed Peas

Comforting and packed with nutrients.

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes
8 tbs butter
1 chopped yellow onion
3 large carrots, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1 1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 large stalk fresh rosemary or thyme, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
15 ounces cooked black eyed peas
1/2 jar marinated portobello mushrooms, with juices
salt and pepper to taste


Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 tbs butter in a large pot. Saute onion, carrots, celery, broccoli, and herbs until almost tender, about 8 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté until all vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add half cup of vegetable broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in black eyed peas and marinated mushrooms.

Mash potatoes in a bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste. Transfer vegetable mixture to individual ramekins, or a medium sized casserole dish. Broil for a minute to get brown on top. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Serving suggestion: grate shredded cheese and sprinkle atop the mashed potatoes before broiling to melt.

Braised Coconut Spinach Rice with Lemon

Recipe calls for rice to be cooked ahead of time.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 TBS grated ginger
2 cups cooked rice
1 bunch spinach, washed, trimmed, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 TBS)
13.5 ounce can coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger

To Serve:

Whole roasted sweet potatoes
Cilantro leaves, to garnish
Toasted unsweetened coconut, to garnish

To Roast Sweet Potatoes:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rub the sweet potato half with olive oil to lightly coat. Place in baking pan with the cut side up. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until tender. Cool slightly before serving.

While the potatoes are baking, heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the oven in beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, and marinated portobello mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the cooked rice and stir well, until it is coated with the onion and garlic mixture.

Toss in the chopped spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minute, stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been stirred in, then pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, optional ground ginger and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is warm through, stirring regularly to prevent rice from sticking. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.

Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes, with cilantro leaves and optional toasted unsweetened coconut to garnish.

Veggie Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)

Avocado Cream Sauce:

2 ripe avocados
2 TBS white wine vinegar
1 1/4 cup cashew cream (see recipe below)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend together until thick and creamy. Add water if you feel you need a thinner sauce.

Cashew Cream: (soak overnight)
1 cup raw cashews rinsed very well under cold water
Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Drain the cashews and rinse. Place them in the blender with enough fresh cold water to just cover them. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth.


Pickled Carrots:
1/4 cup rice or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cold water
2 TBS agave nectar or honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 medium carrots
2 TBS fresh ginger root, peeled and shredded

Combine the vinegar, water, gave, and salt in a small glass bowl. Stir until the salt and sweetener dissolve. Add the shredded carrots and ginger and toss to combine. Let sit for one hour (or make them the night before).

To assemble the sandwiches:

2 demi baguettes split in half.
avocado cream sauce
1 cucumber cut into slices
1 red onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
A few spoonfuls of pickled carrots


Spread the sauce on the bread and layer the vegetables. Serve immediately.

Spring Health Bowl

Ingredients:

1 can Cannellini Beans, drained
1 jar marinated Crimini Mushrooms, drained
Sugar Snap Peas, rinsed and stemmed
2 avocados cut into small chunks
1 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed and cut up for salad
Dijon dressing
Lemony Carrots

Lemony Carrots:
1 pound carrots cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lemon, sliced
2 TBS olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 F. Toss the carrots, lemon, oil, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing once, until tender. 18-20 minutes.

Classic Mustard Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 TBS red wine vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all in small bowl, stir.

To assemble bowl:

In four large salad bowls, place equal amounts of the prepared lettuce. Sprinkle on all of the remaining ingredients evenly, finishing up with the lemony carrots and lastly the mustard vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

4 large bell peppers
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 small zucchini, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28oz can enchilada sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:
1. Start by cooking your quinoa. For 1 cup of dry quinoa, it will take 1 1/2 cups of water. Cook 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to finish cooking by steaming 5-10 minutes more. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

2. Prepare your peppers to be stuffed. If the peppers are round and fat, cut off the top to open up the pepper. If the shape is long and narrow, do not cut off the top. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise from stem to bottom. With a sharp paring knife and your fingers, trim out the ribs and seeds until the pepper is clean inside. If they do not sit flat, trim a tiny bit off the bottom so they are stable. Be careful not to cut through the pepper.

3. Heat oil in a medium pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook, stirring until the onions are soft and translucent and zucchini is beginning to brown, but still firm. Turn heat down to medium low if the onion starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat.

4. In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, zucchini, onion, garlic, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper together.

5. Place bell pepper halves in a large baking dish, cut side up, and fill each pepper firmly with the quinoa mixture, mounding it a little on top.

6. Pour can of enchilada sauce over all the peppers. Cover pan with foil, and bake in 350 oven until peppers are hot all the way through, and tender, about 35-40 minutes.

Serve as soon as possible.

Roasted Veggie Wraps with Garbanzo Bean Spread

Ingredients:

2 bell peppers, sliced into strips or bite-sized pieces
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, sliced into strips
8 oz asparagus
.5 lb summer squash, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Fresh spinach leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Tortillas or other wrap of choice

Olive oil for the pan
Sea salt

For the bean spread:
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2/3 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Prepare all of the veggies. Remove woody ends from asparagus and cut stalks crosswise in half, then in half again.

Spread the prepared peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, and summer squash out in a single layer on a baking pan (you may need to use 2 pans to give veggies enough space.)
Generously drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Toss a few times to distribute evenly.

Roast for about 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are tender, stirring halfway through so veggies cook evenly.

While the vegetables are roasting, make the bean spread:

In a skillet over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and the minced garlic. Saute for about 1 minute. Add the beans and carefully mash with a fork.

Add 2/3 cup water and let cook on medium heat about 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring often. Add any optional herbs or lemon juice.

Assemble the wraps: smear the bean spread on tortilla, top with roasted veggies, and fresh spinach. Roll up and enjoy!

Fried Rice with Cashews and Kale

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cooked rice
2/3 cup cashews, toasted, chopped
1/2 yellow onion roughly chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 TBS water
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 clove garlic, minced

Oil for the pan
Salt and Pepper to taste
Serve with soy sauce or tamari

Directions:

When using raw cashews, I recommend toasting them for a few minutes. Toasting helps release essential oils and makes them more fragrant and flavorful. To toast the cashews, preheat oven to 350. Spread the cashews out in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast for about 5-7 minutes, checking vigilantly. Stir and flip the nuts about halfway through the toasting time to ensure the nuts are toasted evenly. Once nuts are fragrant and lightly golden, remove from heat and from their baking sheet, otherwise they will continue toasting and could burn. Chop and set aside.

In a pan over medium high heat, add a drop of cooking oil, then saute all of the ingredients except the rice and cashews for about 7 minutes. Add the rice and cashews and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste. Enjoy!

Mushroom Barley Soup

Mushroom barley soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup pearled barley
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced
20-25 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 handfuls spinach, washed
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf (fresh), 2 if dried
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

Directions:
In a medium-size pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add barley, stir thoroughly to coat and saute for 1 minute.
Add 3-1/2 cups of water to the barley and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender for 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat.
Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper, cover and cook until the onions are translucent, roughly 6 to 7 minutes.
Add the carrots and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the mushrooms to the pot, increase heat to medium-high, cover and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened and given off their juices.
Add the vegetable broth, bay leaves and thyme to the pot and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Add the cooked barley to the pot and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until broth thickens up just a bit.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Tri-Color slaw with Lime Dressing from The Kitchn

This makes a delicious slaw to put inside fish tacos. So colorful and pretty.

Ingredients:
1/2 head green cabbage, cored
1/2 head red cabbage, cored
1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
1 large bunch cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
3 limes, juiced (about 1/3 cup)
2/3 cup neutral oil, such as peanut or safflower
1 to 2 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Shred the cabbage finely in using a chef's knife, a mandoline, or a food processor's shredding blad. In a very large bowl, toss together the shredded cabbage with the shredded carrots and chopped cilantro.

Whisk the lime juice and oil together in a bowl or measuring cup, and whisk in the sugar. Toss with the slaw, and season generously with salt and pepper (it may need more than you think it will at first, and this salad definitely needs its salt!).

Best served within a day or two, cold from the fridge, but you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days or until it loses its crispness.

Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Kale Salad

For the baked sweet potatoes:

4 medium to large potatoes (yams)

1. Wash and cut out any blemishes on the skin
2. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350. Pierce sweet potatoes in several places with fork; place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very tender when pierced with fork, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
3. Use knife to crack the sweet potatoes open lengthwise in preparation for adding the toppings. No scooping, or mashing.

For the topping:
2 cups kale, rinsed well
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
4 TBS almonds, sliced into slivers
1 tomato, diced
2 avocados, thinly sliced or diced
.33 lb shiitake mushrooms
Olive oil for sauteing

Directions:
1. Wash kale well. Remove kale leaves from thick stems and chop into small pieces.
2. Warm a large skillet and add a dollop of olive oil. Add the chopped shallots and saute for about a minute, until shallots are beginning to look translucent, and then add in the chopped kale. Saute until kale leaves are just wilting, and bright green.
3. Transfer steamed kale mixture to large bowl. Salt to taste.
4. Fold in slivered almonds, tomatoes, and avocado.
5. Clean, slice and saute shiitake mushrooms in the warmed skillet. Add a little more oil to prevent sticking. When mushrooms are browned, remove from heat and set aside.

Pile the toppings onto the potatoes. Garnish with green onions.