Recipes

**I admit, this page is kind of a mess. I will link each of the recipes titles to the recipes that follow below shortly. If it helps, everything is in alphabetic order.**

5-Way Vegetable Soup
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Black Bean and Quinoa Burger
Black Bean Soup
Broccoli Jicama Detox Salad
Chicken and Turkey Jambalaya
Chicken Skewers with Cashew Pesto
Chicken Vegetable Curry
Cilantro Avocado Grapefruit Salad
Citrus Mint Quinoa
Coconut Berry Parfait
Confetti Quinoa
Corn and Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
French Toast Bake
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookies
Parmesan Asparagus with Balsamic Reduction
Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders
Raw Brownies
Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Bolognese
Super Food Trail Mix
Super Savory Spinach
Turkey and Black Bean Quesadillas

5-Way Vegetable Soup
Even if the vegetables that were to don your holiday table never left the refrigerator, this super simple vegetable soup can be used with any five vegetables. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:

Ingredients
5 cup of organic vegetable or chicken stock
3 tablespoon coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
1 clove minced garlic
½ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup peeled and chopped sweet potato (easy substitute: potatoes)
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots (easy substitute: parsnips)
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup frozen or fresh corn (easy substitute: peas or green beans)
1 cup chopped celery
Sea salt to season

Directions
Add oil to stock pot and bring to medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for two minutes. Add stock and pepper and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients, except sea salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook soup over low heat for at least 60 minutes. Add sea salt for flavor before serving.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries
The combination of the sweet and savory really stands out in this healthier version of a fry.
Serves 8

4 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp coconut oil
Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into wedges.
3. Toss sweet potatoes in oil* and spread out onto baking sheets. Bake until browned, turning over halfway though. Total baking time is 30 to 40 minutes. Season with sea salt before serving.

TIP: *Coconut oil melts at 76ºF. If your kitchen is cooler than 76, chances are the oil will be in a solid form. The only time this is an issue is when you need to “toss” coconut oil. You may need to warm the oil beforehand. The reason I avoid baking with olive oil at high temps is because it breaks down and oxidizes. Oxidation means free radicals, and no one needs more of those.

Black Bean & Quinoa Veggie Burger
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed well
1/2 c. quinoa (dry measurement), cooked
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c. red onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. corn meal
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano

Preparation
Cook the quinoa. If you’re not familiar with quinoa, it cooks the same as rice. While quinoa is cooking, mash the black beans (by hand, with a large fork or with a potato masher) in a medium-size bowl. After the quinoa is done cooking, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Add quinoa, corn meal and 1 tbsp olive oil to black beans and mix well. Continue to mix in the red onion, cilantro, garlic, cumin, celery salt, cayenne pepper and oregano. Finally, add in the egg.

Form four round patties about one-inch thick. Refrigerate for about one hour.

Heat the two remaining tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over low to medium heat. Add burgers to skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side.

Corn and Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
Trade in a traditional tortilla shell for a leaf of lettuce and you get this simple, fiber-filled appetizer. No real cooking, just throw together a few ingredients.
Serves 8

head of romaine lettuce (substitute iceberg if desired)
2 c frozen corn*
3/4 c canned black beans, drained
1/4 c canned roasted diced green chile
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
juice from half of fresh lime

1. Thaw corn, gently patting off any excess moisture. Drain black beans thoroughly and add to corn. Add in chiles, tossing gently. Add in remaining ingredients, mixing gently. Chill until ready to serve.
2. Serve with individual leafs of lettuce. Spoon a small amount of black bean and corn mixture. Enjoy.

TIP: *During the summer months, try substituting roasted corn cut from the cob, rather than frozen corn.

Black Bean Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp coconut oil* of your choosing (*as many already know, coconut oil is my thing. If it’s not convenient, EVOO will do, but simmer at lower heat)
1 small diced onion
1/2 jar roasted red peppers
2 15 oz cans of low sodium black beans (or soak your own – takes a little time and patience)
1 cups organic salsa (choose your own heat)
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin (if you love warmth, make it 2 tsp)
ground black pepper, optional, to taste

Preparation
Heat oil, then add diced onion and roasted red pepper to soup pot. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.
Add 1 can of the black beans, salsa, veggie stock and cumin. Stir and blend (easiest with an immersion blender).

After blending, add the other can of black beans and bring to boil. Remove from heat.
Serve with or without toppings.

Topping Suggestions
Avocado, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, cilantro, sour cream, sliced lime.

Serves 4

Broccoli Jicama Detox Salad
Yields: 8

Salad
4 c. Broccoli, chopped* (see notes)
3 1/2 c. Jicamam, chopped** (pronounced: hi-ca-ma, see notes)
3 c. Red Cabbage, chopped
1 c. Vidalia Onion, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic*, raw, pressed or minced (see notes)

Dressing
1 c. Orange Juice, (juice of two oranges, freshly squeezed)
3/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Honey
Dash of Sea Salt

*To get small bits of broccoli without creating a big mess, chop the crown of broccoli into florets, then chop downward diagonally on the bigger florets to get smaller pieces.)
**I love jicama, but it isn’t the easiest to chop up, so have patience. It’s healthy, crisp, watery and has a sweet taste, which is a perfect taste for this salad. If you’ve never had it, it’s worth a try. To peel, I like to simply cut the skin off with a knife. Personally, I think it’s a lot faster than using a vegetable peeler. After the skin is off, chopping it into bite-size pieces is easy.
***While garlic possesses incredible amounts of nutrition, if you’re not a “garlic person,” reduce the cloves to two. It won’t overwhelm the dish, but you will taste it
Chicken Skewers with Cashew Pesto Sauce
Fire up the grill and get your wooden skewers blanched in water. The star of this simple dish is the sauce. Made with cashews instead of pine nuts, this sauce is a great savory alternative.

Ingredients
2 c. Fresh Basil
1/2 c. Raw Cashew Nuts, unsalted
1/2 c. Parmesan, grated
3/4 – 1 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (adding more depending on your preference)
2 Cloves Garlic
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

Simply add all the ingredients from top to bottom to a food processor and blend until smooth. Some people like a really smooth pesto, but I like mine with a little more texture. Drizzle over chicken, or serve on the side for dipping. Grill your chicken on well-blanched wooden skewers. Don’t feel like messing around with wooden skewers? Try metal skewers instead. Don’t want to mess around with skewers at all? Opt for easy-to-grill chicken breasts or thighs.

Chicken Vegetable Curry
Serves 4

This recipe screams “health!” Good fats, lots of vegetables, plenty of protein and stellar spices. You’ll see that this recipe contains coconut oil and coconut milk. The flavor of coconut does not carry over at all, but many of the health benefits of this oil and milk certainly do! If you don’t have any coconut oil, use olive oil instead. If you like things really mild, go easy on the cayenne – a little goes a long way! Enjoy.
Ingredients
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb chicken breast (2-3), cubed
14 oz (1 can), light coconut milk
6 oz tomato soup (I like Pacific or Imagine – but anything will be fine!)
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ tsp corn starch
1c peas (frozen or fresh)
1 green zucchini, sliced
1 yellow zucchini, sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cooking until onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Add chicken to onion and garlic mixture, cook thoroughly. Add coconut milk. In a separate bowl, combine the curry powder, cayenne pepper and corn starch with the tomato soup. Wisk until dissolved. Add this mixture to the chicken and coconut milk. Add remaining vegetables. Cook for an additional 10 to 12 minutes. Serve over brown rice.

Cilantro Avocado Grapefruit Salad

Serves 4

Preparation

Salad
2 Grapefruit* (I like Ruby Red), sectioned and chopped
3/4 c. Cilantro, fresh and chopped
1/2 Avocado, sliced and cut into small pieces
1/2 c. Red Onion, chopped

Dressing
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp. Real Maple Syrup (if you don’t have the real stuff, substitute honey)

Salad: Add grapefruit, cilantro and red onion together. Toss until the cilantro is well-mixed. Gently toss in the avocado. Transfer to into bowls for serving and set aside.

Dressing: Wisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle over each pre-portioned salad prior to serving and enjoy!

You’ll see that I didn’t add the dressing to the salad in its entirety. Grapefruit can be pretty juicy, and adding the dressing to the main bowl can leave this amazing dish looking more like a soup than a salad. Reserve the dressing until you’re ready to serve ad you won’t be sorry.

Citrus Mint Quinoa
Make ahead of time as a time saver and chill. This dish is great as a side dish to a delicious dinner, or as a leftover topper on a salad. Perfect for warm weather, this is a fresh, crisp but subtle palate pleaser.

Ingredients
2 c. Water
1 c. Quinoa, well-rinsed
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Lemons, juiced
1/2 c. Scallions or Red Onion, chopped
1/2 c. Peas (if frozen, thawed)
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/4 c. Fresh Mint, chopped
Sea Salt

Bring water to a boil and add quinoa. Reduce to simmer for about 18 to 20 minutes. After quinoa is done, transfer to a medium size bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice, mix well. Add remainder of ingredients, except mint and sea salt. Chill. Before serving, add mint and sea salt. Mix well and serve.

Coconut Berry Parfait

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans Coconut Milk
1 1/2 c. Shredded Coconut
1 1/2 c. Sliced Strawberries
1 1/2 c. Blueberries
1 tsp. Stevia*

Mix coconut milk and stevia thoroughly. Add in shredded coconut. Pour the mixture in a baking pan (9x 13 will work). Place in freezer, mixing every 30 minutes until it’s slushy-frozen. Layer up the berries and sorbet. Enjoy.

After completely frozen, layer the sorbet and berries in parfait style. Serve and enjoy!

*Stevia is a healthy sugar substitute. It can be found in nearly any grocery store these days. If you don’t like the flavor of stevia, don’t add any other non-nutritive sweetener (i.e. aspartame, sucralose). This blog is all about healthy, real foods. Adding icky chemicals completely defeats the purpose of eating clean. What’s more, it’s not good for you. Instead substitute honey and follow the modified directions below. Sure, you’ll add more calories, but this is a dessert after all!

Tip: If you plan on keeping this in the freezer overnight, it may become too hard. One way around that is to add one ounce of rum to the recipe. Alcohol lowers the freezing point. Needless to say, adding alcohol makes this recipe unsuitable for children.

Confetti Quinoa

Serves 4

• 1 c uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
• 2 c water or broth
• ¼ tsp sea salt (add after cooking)
• 1 small onion, diced
• ½ bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
• 2 tbsp chopped toasted almonds or ¼ c sliced and chopped water chestnuts

1. Add quinoa to boiling water or broth; reducing heat then cover and simmer 15 minutes until water is absorbed.

2. Sauté onion and pepper in butter; add to cooked quinoa; add salt, almonds (or water chestnuts) just before serving.

Low Fat Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

2 cans (14.5 oz. each) of crushed tomatoes
3 cups low fat milk
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. sea salt

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté onions until translucent (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and continue to sauté for one more minute. Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer stewed tomato mixture into a blender, or use immersion blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and add milk, cayenne pepper and fresh basil. Heat, but don’t boil. Remove from heat and add sea salt. Serve immediately with a crusty whole grain bread.

French Toast Bake
This French Toast Bake is best if prepared the night before. You get the most texture (and heart-healthy fiber) by using a grainy bread. That said, use any leftover bread that can make a cozy fit into a 9x9x1½ baking dish.

Ingredients
½ lb of baguette, rolls or any other hearty grainy bread (sliced to fit into a 9x9x1½ baking dish)
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1¾ cup 2% Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup butter
¾ cup honey (or agave nectar)

Directions
Butter baking dish and place bread in dish. In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients and spices. Pour over bread, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, bake at 425 degrees F for 40-45 minutes (until the egg mixture begins to look brown and bubble). Top with a cinnamon-infused, low-fat vanilla yogurt. Note: all ovens are different, so you may need to heat this dish slightly longer.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookies
I really had no idea what to expect when I made these cookies, but have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, you can certainly forgo these treats for something healthier, but when you need a little chocolate and some good fat, these cookies hit the spot. What’s more, if you didn’t know they were made with avocado, you’d never guess it was part of the recipe. There is just enough chocolate in each bite to let you know it’s there!

Ingredients
2 c. Gluten Free Baking Mix* (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder**
8 tbsp. Butter (1 stick), room temp
1/2 c. Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 c. Sugar
1 Egg, room temp
1 Ripe Avocado, sliced
1/2 c. Dark Chocolate Chips (darker is better)

*Don’t need or want a gluten-free recipe? Simply substitute flour for the mix.
**Most brands of baking powder are gluten-free, but some are not. If you are sensitive to gluten or have Celiac disease, double check.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift gluten free baking mix, baking soda and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside. Mix butter until smooth. Add sugars, then egg and avocado. After mixture is smooth, slowly add in dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Finally, turn off blender and add in chocolate chips, mixing in by hand with a cook spoon or spatula.

Bake for 15 – 17 minutes. Let stand for a couple minutes and serve!

Parmesan Asparagus with Balsamic Reduction
serves 6

2 bunches of asparagus, ends trimmed
3 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
Parmesan cheese (shaved or grated)*

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat asparagus with oil and place on a pan or cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake in oven for 15 – 20 minutes. While asparagus is in oven, add vinegar and brown sugar to a sauce pan and reduce down to a glaze. After asparagus is done, transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with glaze. Sprinkle cheese over top before serving.

*A word on Parmesan cheese: I love this cheese and think it has a great flavor – if it’s the right kind. And that “right kind” would be Parmigiano-Reggiano. Used in this dish, it’s more than a garnish, but certainly not overwhelming, so add to your desired flavor. Remember though, this dish is about the asparagus.

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders
These were really good, easy and done in about 45 minutes. The sliders are packed with protein and are great for leftovers.
Serves 8

2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
1-15 oz can of tomato sauce
1-4 oz can diced green chile (fire roasted if possible)
1/2 c coarsely chopped onion
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp soy sauce (or substitute 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce)
2 tbsp coconut oil (or substitute olive oil)
3 tsp chipotle sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp dry mustard
salt

1) Bake chicken breasts at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked through. As chicken is baking, prepare BBQ sauce.
2) Heat oil in stock pot or dutch oven. Add onion until translucent.
3) In separate bowl, mix together all other ingredients until smooth. Add mixture to onion and oil.
4) Shred baked chicken with a fork and add to sauce. Allow chicken to simmer in sauce until ready to serve. Add desired amount of salt.

Serve sandwich-style between two grainy slices of bread, or small roll. If you’ve got time to prepare this in advance, do so! The longer the chicken can simmer in the sauce, the more flavor it soaks up.
Raw Brownies
3 cups raw walnuts
16 pitted dates
1/2 cup dried fruit (like raisins or cranberries)
2/3 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/4 cup raw cacao nibs (or mini carob/choc. chips)

Process walnuts in food processor until ground up, slowly add the pitted dates and process. Next, slowly add in the cacao powder and dried fruit and process. Gently, pulse in, the cacao nibs to keep them partially chunky in the “dough”. Press the mixture into a square, glass baking dish and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to “set”. Serve 2″ squares topped with sliced berries or powdered sugar.

Got this great recipe from Beth Aldrich: www.bethaldrich.com

Chicken & Turkey Jambalaya

Serves 6

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Chicken Breast, cubed
2 8-oz Turkey Sausages, sliced
1 Medium Red Onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tsp Garlic, crushed
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Yellow Pepper, chopped
1 C Peas, frozen
1 14-oz Can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
2 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 1/2 c. Short Grain Brown Rice

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add cubed chicken. Cook for two to three minutes, then add turkey sausage. Cook thoroughly and remove from pan. While cooking, rinse the rice in a strainer. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, then add peppers and peas. Heat for about three minutes, then add canned tomatoes, chicken broth as well as the chicken and turkey sausage that was set aside. Bring mixture to a boil. Add rice. Stir once. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover until rice is fully cooked. Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes.

Note: Technically, we should have wolfed down the Jambalaya on Fat Tuesday (tomorrow), but since my husband is from Ireland, we will be enjoying “Pancake Tuesday” instead. If you have young school-age children, you know that enjoying a big breakfast before 7:30am is not entirely possible, so we’ll be going the breakast-for-dinner route.

Chicken & Turkey Jambalaya

Serves 6

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Bolognese
Spaghetti squash is a really great vegetable to cook with, and serves as a great alternative to pasta. Here is what you need:

1 Spaghetti Squash
1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
1 Jar of Muir Glen Garden Vegetable Pasta Sauce (I like Muir Glen, but suit yourself to what you like)
1 tbsp Coconut Oil (Don’t have coconut oil? You should! Feel free to use olive oil as an alternative)
1 tsp minced garlic
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 375. Fill a 9 x 13 pan with just under and inch of water. Set aside. Cut spaghetti squash in half, length-wise, and seed. Pierce the flesh with a fork a couple times. Place the squash face-down in pan and put in the oven for 40 minutes.

Brown the ground turkey over medium heat, then add the garlic. As a side note, the health benefits of garlic are greater with it hasn’t been roasted or fried. Add the jar of pasta sauce. Cover and let simmer over low heat.

After 40 minutes, check the squash. You’ll know it’s done when you can easily stick a fork or knife through the flesh. When it’s done, remove water from pan and turn squash over. Taking a fork or spoon, scrape the squash into a bowl. It should easily fall out – resembling spaghetti. Add coconut oil to the squash and toss until the oil melts. Coconut oil solidifies in cold weather, but melts quickly at warm temps. Add sea salt to flavor.

By now your bolognese sauce should be done. Serve the sauce over the squash and enjoy!

Super Savory (and Healthy) Spinach

Add it into anything
Throw a handful or two of spinach into the following entrées or side dishes and you will be pleasantly surprised:
• Substitute spinach for lettuce on sandwiches or salads
• Add a bag of fresh baby spinach to a chicken stir-fry
• Coarsely chop a cup of spinach and add it to a frittata or omelet
• Sprinkle on top of your favorite homemade pizza
• Simply steam on top the stove and toss with a little olive oil and sea salt

Savory Sautéed Spinach
3 strips turkey bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces widthwise
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bags of baby spinach
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Dash of sea salt

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove spinach and set aside. Add garlic and cook over heat for one minute. Slowly begin to add spinach. As the spinach begins to wilt in the heat, add a little more until all of the spinach has been added to the skillet. Remove from heat and toss in bacon, then vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

Turkey (or ham) & Black Bean Quesadillas
While quesadillas may not come to mind when thinking of leftover holiday food, they’re great all year round and can be pulled together with very little preparation.

Ingredients
4 large whole grain tortilla shells
2 cup shredded turkey (savory ham would be a good substitute, too)
1 cup rinsed black beans
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 tbsp coconut oil (my fave) or extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ ripe avocado

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small mixing bowl add turkey, cumin, black beans and olive oil. Mix gently until all ingredients are covered. Place four tortilla shells on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about one minute (until warm). Remove tortilla shells and place ¼ of the turkey mixture on half of each of the shells. Top the mixture with ¼ cup of the cheddar cheese and fold the shell over. Place back in the oven for about 10 minutes.

If using a convection oven, reduce time by about 4 minutes.

Recipes

Hi, I’m Traci. Welcome!

tracidmitchell