beef barley stew w/ sweet potatoes

in a large pot, heat:
2 Tbs canola oil
over high heat.

add:
2 1/2 lbs stew beef
in batches. cook until browned (4-5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
remove beef from pot; set aside.

add:
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
cook til softened (8-10 minutes)

sprinkle with:
2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt

add reserved beef and
2 cans beef broth plus
2 cups water
bring to a boil.

stir in:
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup uncooked barley
reduce heat to low.

cover. simmer til beef and barley and sweet potatoes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

turkey-meatball soup

1 lb ground lean turkey (93% fat-free)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
mix and form into 1" meatballs.
add 1 Tbs oil to a large pot. cook meatballs til browned (5-6 min).
remove from pot and set aside.

add an additional 1 Tbs oil to the same pot and add:
1 small onion, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp pepper
cook on medium heat til just softened

add 1/4 cup white wine.
cook one minute.

add:
4 cans of chicken broth (14 1/2 ounces each)
turn heat to high til broth boils.
add meatballs.
reduce heat to medium and simmer til meatballs are cooked through
turn heat to high. stir in:
4 ounces small pasta (small bows, ditalini, elbows)
cook 8-1o minutes til pasta is tender

for additional nutrition, you can also add a handful or two of chopped fresh baby spinach.

remove from heat.
stir in 2 Tbs fresh parsley.
serve.

ginger soft drink

this recipe is from "sundays at moosewood"...another cookbook i recommend. the recipes are divided into chapters based on where in the world the recipe originated. each chapter is introduced by someone familiar with the culture writing about its cooking traditions and their personal connection to that culture. reading this cookbook is like taking many small, culinary vacations. this recipe is from the chapter on "africa south of the sahara."

in a large nonreactive pot or bowl (glass, enamel, stainless steel), add:
1 cup grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 cup sugar
2 tsp whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks

pour:
6 cups boiling water
over the top. cover and set aside in a warm place, in the sun if possible, for an hour.
strain the liquid through a fine metal sieve.

add:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (lemon is okay, but we prefer lime)
1 cup orange juice
8 cups cool water
set aside in a warm place for another hour or so.

gently strain the liquid again. take care not to disturb the sediment at the bottom.

serve warm, chilled, or on ice.
we like it mixed w/ seltzer water as homemade ginger ale.
store in the fridge in a non-reactive container (like a glass jar).

chocolate chip peanut butter cake (vegan, whole wheat)

dry ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt

wet ingredients:

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup peanut butter (room temp)

add wet ingredients to dry. fold in:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts

greased 9" pan (round or square). 350 degrees. 25-30 minutes til golden on top and knife comes out clean of batter (but not necessarily chocolate).

cool to room temperature or just warm. cut into wedges or squares and serve.

popcorn w/ olive oil

air pop a batch of popcorn

while it's popping, microwave 1/4 cup of olive oil (regular or extra virgin) in a small pyrex custard dish til warm (half power for a minute should do it). drizzle the oil over the popcorn, sprinkle w/ sea salt (and parmesan if desired). mix well and eat. you can also add nutritional yeast or dill if you like.

this is much healthier than the microwavable popcorns and tastes much more natural as well. our air popper gets a lot of use. this is a snack our daughter fixes for herself a lot!

vegetable cakes

this recipe is from the lompoc cafe's cookbook.

saute:
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic, minced

add:
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
saute for 5 minutes or so. add:

1 1/2 cups corn (i use frozen)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
cook til corn is just softened (another 5 minutes or so)

place mixture in a bowl and let cool thoroughly.
then add:

6 Tbs all purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
blend well

heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large skillet pan (non-stick)
i use a 1/4 cup measure to drop batter onto pan to make veggie cakes.
saute 3-4 minutes til nicely browned on one side, then flip to cook the other side.
repeat til all batter is used, adding additional oil as needed.

excellent when served w/ your favorite salsa or lowfat sour cream on top.

pasta-meatball minestrone

meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
little milk
1/4-1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt, pepper
1-2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
mix together. make little meatballs. bake at 350 on a sheet til done.

soup:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
olive oil, 2 Tbs
saute the above ingredients, then add:

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp italian seasoning
2 cans beef broth or 3 cups total broth
1 16-oz can tomatoes, undrained (cut them up if need be)
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz fresh, chopped spinach (or 1/2 pkg frozen)
meatballs

simmer 45 minutes. add cooked pasta (elbows or ditalini is good). cooking the pasta separate from the soup keeps it from swelling too much in the soup.

sprinkle soup w/ parmesan cheese to serve.

crab cakes w/ orange shallot sauce

this is what henri and i have almost every year for our anniversary dinner. i double the recipe for the sauce so we can have some to put over our steamed brown basmati rice and over our carrots (cooked, w/ salt and pepper). the recipe is from the cookbook "beat this!" by ann hodgman. her cookbooks are the funniest i've ever read, and i highly recommend any of them. please note that unlike my other recipes, this one is high in fat due to the sauce. that's why this is a special occasion, once a year recipe for us. i've also made the crab cakes in mini bite-sized for large get togethers and served the sauce in a bowl for dipping. big hit!

crab cakes:
1 cup breadcrumbs (i use store bought, plain)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup mayo (i use hellman's light)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 Tbs minced fresh parsley (i cheat and use dried, smaller amount)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 lb fresh crabmeat

mix the above. form into 4 patties. dredge in flour. pan fry in hot oil (2 Tbs or so of canola) til golden brown. keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you make the sauce (or do what i do and make the sauce first up until the point where it only needs the butter and cream whisked in...that part needs to be done at the last minute).

orange shallot sauce (double this, if you're smart!)
in a saucepan, boil:
2 minced shallots
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup white wine
til reduced to 1/4 cup

using a wire whisk, whisk in
1/2 stick butter, cut into bits
til it's all absorbed. it'll be about the consistency of mayonaise.
remove from heat.

whisk in:
1/4 cup heavy cream (i use light cream and it's fine)

serve the sauce over the crabcakes (and your steamed rice and carrots). indulge.

stuffed mushrooms (divine...)

8 oz fresh mushrooms (baby bellas work well, or stuffing mushrooms)
remove and save the stems

put mushroom caps in a shallow baking dish.
fill each cap 1/4 full w/ fresh lemon juice

chop mushroom stems and saute with:
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs finely chopped onion
til soft. then add:

1/4 tsp chopped fresh parsley (i cheat and use dry)
1 clove minced garlic
dash of pepper
cook one minute. then add:

1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup bread crumbs

stuff each mushroom cap. bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

bean dip (use w/ whole grain tortilla chips)

4 cups of cooked beans (pinto or kidney), heated til hot
1/2 cup minced onion
3 Tbs cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder (or a clove freshed minced garlic)
1 tsp chili powder
2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, colby, monterey jack or mexican blend)

put all ingedients in a food process til cheese is all melted and the mixture is smooth.
serve w/ whole grain tortilla chips. i'm a big fan of the sweet potato multigrain ones.

turkey meatloaf

preheat oven to 350 degrees

mix together:
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (93% fat free is what i use)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oats
1 Tbs worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
optional: one medium-large onion, small dice

put into a loaf pan and bake for an hour.
you might want to put in some potatoes to bake at the same time.
(and yes, ground beef works just as well. it's just my kid only eats poultry and fish).

chicken fajitas (whole wheat version)

saute in olive oil:
1 large green peppper, cut into long strips
1 large sweet red bell pepper, cut into long strips
1 large vidalia onion, cut in half and then cut into medium-thin slices
1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

once the above is cooked through, add enough bottled fajita sauce to coat the veggies and chicken. we use the "world harbors" brand. you can find it at hannafords between the ketchup and the pickles...with the other sauces. one bottle will last quite awhile (maybe 6-8 times of this recipe) and is much more flavorful than the powdered packet that comes w/ fajita dinners.

heat up a package of 8 whole wheat tortillas in the microwave. to do this, stack them on a plate. get a paper towel wet, squeeze the water out of it. place the paper towel over the tortillas and microwave for a minute, til warmed through.

place veggies and chicken on the tortilla, fold up the bottom then fold the edges over. start eating from the open end and have a napkin ready, just in case.

homemade vegetarian egg rolls

saute the following til tender and in the following order:

2 Tbs olive oil (or canola)
1 clove minced garlic
1 medium vidalia onion, chopped fine
1 sweet red bell pepper, diced small
16 oz bok choy, chopped to small pieces
2 cups napa cabbage, sliced thin and then chopped fine
2 grated carrots
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 tub of extra firm tofu that's been mashed and drained for awhile in a colander

combine the following and add to the above onced cooked:
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sugar

let filling cool. i prefer to drain it in a colander before making the egg rolls so they don't get overly wet.

1 package egg roll wrappers (24 approx). place 3 Tbs filling on each wrapper across the middle. roll as the package instructions tell you to. fry in canola oil at 350 degrees til crispy golden brown. drain on paper towels on a plate. serve w/ the following dipping sauce or with premade duck sauce from your supermarket.

hoisin dipping sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbs water
2 Tbs rice vinegar (mirin)
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp chili paste (optional)

one pan granola

preheat oven to 275 degrees

mix 5-6 cups oats w/ a total of 6 cups of any of the following combined:
whole wheat flour
wheat germ
pumpkin or sesame seeds
dry milk powder
coconut
walnuts or pecans
up to 1 cup bran

mix the above w/ 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp salt
heat the following in a large, rectangular casserole or glass oven dish in the oven:
1 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vanilla
toss in the 12 cups of mixed dry ingredients. bake for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. when cool, you can add:
2 cups dried fruit (raisins, dates, craisins, etc)

makes 14 cups total

carrot soup

5 medium-large carrots, 1" chunks
2 small potatoes, quartered
cover w/ water and boil. simmer til tender. discard peels.

saute:
1 large onion
2 Tbs olive oil

add all ingredients together, those above plus the following:

2 cups milk
2 cups stock or broth
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
parmesan to taste
sprinkle of caraway seed

puree in batches in a blender or food processor. reheat. check seasonings to taste.

makes 8 cups. excellent served w/ crusty artisan bread.

african chicken peanut stew (ben's favorite)

saute:

1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
til chicken is just done (juices are clear)

add:

1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 Tbs fresh ginger (grated fine w/ a microplane grater or minced fine by hand)
cook 2 minutes

add:
2 cups chicken broth
cook 5 minutes

mix together w/ whisk in small bowl to make a paste:

2 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp mirin or red wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced

take 3 Tbs of broth from the skillet and add it to the paste to thin it. add the sauce to the pan and simmer 10 minutes. then add:

2 cups of fresh, chopped spinach
simmer 5 minutes.

serve over steamed brown basmati rice. great for treating a cold!

cinnamon walnut coffee cake (whole wheat!)

another recipe from Food to Live By, written by Myra Goodman. love that it's 100% whole wheat flour and a great way to eat your walnuts!

preheat oven to 350 degrees.
grease a 9 x 13 pan and set it aside.

mix the topping ingredients in a medium sized bowl:

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
5 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups coarsely chopped walnut pieces
stir to blend; set aside for now.

dry ingredients, large bowl:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

wet ingredients, small bowl:

1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla (i use 1 tsp)

add wet ingredients to dry. stir til just combined. pour batter into 9 x 13 pan. bake 45-55 minutes, til it passes the toothpick test of doneness. let cool an hour before eating, if you can!

sweet summer smoothie (all year round)

get out your blender

fill it 1/3 full with frozen whole strawberries
add a ripe large banana
add "amazing mango smoothie" by bolthouse farm til blender looks half full
add a packet (or two) of vanilla carnation instant breakfast
fill the rest of the way with silk soymilk

blenderize on high speed til well mixed. pour and serve.

pumpkin pecan muffins

This recipe comes from the cookbook Food to Live By, written by Myra Goodman (owner of The Earthbound Organic Farm). I have loved every recipe I've tried from it and recommend purchasing it so you have all her healthy, delicious recipes.

makes 15 muffins, so you need 2 muffin tins...either two 12 cup ones (leave the ones you don't need to fill bare) or a 12 cup tin plus a 6 cup tin (leaving the one remaining spot bare). likewise, you can bake these in 2 batches if you only own one muffin tin.

preheat oven to 375 degrees.

mix the streusel topping in a medium bowl:

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces

using a pastry blender, two forks or your fingers, blend the above til it's crumbly and combined.

mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl:

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour (i use whole wheat pastry flour for at least a cup of it)
1 Tbs baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each: ground allspice, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon
stir the above together, then add
3/4 cups chopped pecans

wet ingredients, medium sized bowl:

3 large eggs
4 Tbs melted butter (i use canola oil or applesauce)
2 tsp orange zest
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)
2 1/4 cups sugar

whisk to combine well.

add wet ingredients to dry, just til combined.
spoon into muffin tins, filling almost to the brim of each cup.
sprinkle streusel topping over each muffin.
bake til golden brown, 20-30 minutes til they pass the toothpick test of doneness.
cool 10 minutes on a rack before removing from tins.

banana maple-walnut muffins

These are from one of my favorite cookbooks: Food to Live By, written by Myra Goodman (owner of the Earthbound Organic Farm. I have loved every recipe I've tried from her cookbook.

spray a muffin tin w/ nonstick spray
preheat oven to 375 degrees

mix dry ingredients in a large bowl:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

mix the following together in a medium size bowl and whisk to combine well:

2 large eggs
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla (i use a teaspoon)

add 1 1/2 cups of mashed very ripe bananas to the wet ingredients.
add the banana/wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until just combined.

fold in 3/4 cups chopped walnuts. do not overmix.
spoon batter into greased muffin tin, filling almost to the brim.
bake til golden brown, about 20-30 minutes, til they pass the toothpick test of doneness.
cool 10 minutes before removing from tin. these test best the day they're made.

roasted veggies w/ chicken sausage

preheat oven to 375 degrees
the following quantities make enough for two 9 x 13 pans because we like leftovers

peel veggies if needed/desired; cut into uniform bite sized pieces (1" pieces, approx.)
i use the following, but you can improvise and adjust based on what you have or what you like:

6 red potatoes, good sized
6 carrots, good sized
2 sweet potato, large
4 parnsips
2 vidalia onions (add these in after the first 20 minutes of baking)

toss veggies w/ olive oil (and rosemary, if you like it). divide between the two pans. bake for 20 minutes, stir, add the onions and bake for 20 more minutes. stir veggies to loosen them from the pan, then add:

1 package of chicken sausages, sliced thick. we use a natural maple apple sausage. bake 20 more minutes. they're done when veggies are carmelized and cooked through. add salt and pepper to taste and you're done. excellent left over for breakfast or to heat up at lunchtime.