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Oatmeal Applesauce Bread

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 Oatmeal Applesauce Bread
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Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Spray loaf pan with olive oil spray or wipe with oil, sprinkle with flour to coat, and set aside. In a large bowl, stir oats, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together.
  2. Add applesauce, water, honey, and oil. Stir until well combined, then pour into prepared pan. Smooth top of batter so that it’s even. If desired, sprinkle salt and sugar on top.
  3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, checking at 30 minutes to see if it is done. (It will be browned on top, but not burned, and moist in the middle).
Recipe Notes

Serves eight. A serving is 1 slice. Each serving contains about 237 calories, 4 g fat (0.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 192 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrates, 5 g sugar, 4 g fiber, and 7 g protein.

Tomato Rice

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 Tomato Rice
Servings
Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients except Italian seasoning into a medium-sized pot on the stove. Heat on medium high, whisking until tomato paste is dissolved.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and then simmer. After about 10 minutes of simmering, stir, and then check again after 15 minutes, stir, and reduce heat to low.
  3. After 20 minutes, stir, and check again. If the rice is cooked, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. If it is not cooked, cover and cook for five more minutes. After 25 minutes, stir and check again. If it is still not done, let it cook for five more minutes, and by 30 minutes, it should be done, with almost all the water absorbed into the rice. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and serve.
Recipe Notes

Makes 8 servings. A serving is ½ cup. Each serving provides about 92 calories, 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 77 mg sodium, 19.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 1 g fiber, and 2 g protein.

Cooking Light Salad


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 Cooking Light Salad
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Combined the bulgur and boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Stir in the figs and remaining ingredients. Cover salad and chill thoroughly. Serving size: 1 cup

Peach and Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese

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 Peach and Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese
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Ingredients
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat grill to high (or use a grill pan). In a large serving bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; set aside.
  2. Halve and pit peaches; cut each into 6 wedges. Lightly brush wedges with oil. Place on hot grill for 30 seconds on each side.
  3. Add baby arugula and onion to dressing; toss gently to coat. Arrange peaches on top and garnish with blue cheese and hazelnuts.
Recipe Notes

In place of arugula, try baby spinach. Instead of blue cheese, use goat cheese or feta. Can't find hazelnuts? Use walnuts, almonds or pecans. For a slight twist on the original, you can also toss in blueberries or other seasonal berries of your choice!

Apple & Almond Farro Salad

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 Apple & Almond Farro Salad
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servings
Ingredients
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Mix everything together and add oil and balsamic mixture. Feel free to add chopped tomatoes, diced cucumbers, red peppers or other veggies.

Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Bake

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 Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Bake
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Ingredients
You'll need:
Additional toppings:
Servings
Ingredients
You'll need:
Additional toppings:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil or ghee, and add the bell pepper and onion. Season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. In a bowl, mix hot sauce of your choice (6 tablespoons get you a "mild" heat, 4 tablespoons is good for kids, 8 tablespoons is for your heat lovers!), with 1 tbsp of olive oil or ghee, 1 tbsp of paprika, 1 tsp of garlic powder and salt and pepper. Stir in the raw chicken to coat, then add the sweet potatoes. Then stir in the seasoned bell pepper and onion. Mix together in a baking dish, and bake, covered at 350 for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  4. At 40 minutes, remove and add the crumbled bacon and stir in the greens. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the oven and top with the green onions and another swirl of hot sauce.
  5. Serve with assorted toppings. Pairs nicely with a cold beer!
Recipe Notes

Make it vegetarian: Use firm tofu or tempeh! Pat your tofu dry, then dice. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet. Season your tofu with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. When the oil is hot, sear the tofu until browned on each side. Stir into the baked sweet potatoes, vegetable and sauce mixture with 10 minutes left.

Weeknight hack: Use rotisserie chicken to reduce your cooking time!

Sauerkraut Recipe

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 Sauerkraut Recipe
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Ingredients
Ingredients
Equipment
Servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
  1. Wash and then cut the heads of cabbage into pieces small enough to fit into the food processor. Using the appropriate blade for 1/4-inch slices, process one head of cabbage and place the result into the fermentation crock. Sprinkle a little salt on the cabbage. Massage the cabbage vigorously with your hands to bring out its moisture (this process forms the brine). Do this for 10-15 minutes with each head, using the rest of the salt. Let it sit for one hour.
  2. The next step is to pack the salt and cabbage mixture down into your crock. The brine should cover the kraut completely. If there is not enough brine to cover the cabbage, you need to massage the cabbage some more. When you are done packing, spread a sheet of cheesecloth across the top so that, later, when a layer of scum or moldy residue appears on top, you can easily remove the cheesecloth, rinse it off, and replace it. Then place the fermentation weights on top of the cheesecloth; these weights will keep the cabbage submerged in the brine. Finally, cover the crock with a top. We have wooden fitted tops with handles, while my stepfather uses a flat piece of plywood and a brick. Either will work.
  3. Allow the cabbage to ferment for approximately three weeks at room temperature. Feel free to give the cabbage a taste after one or two weeks to see how it's going, but try not to open the crock repeatedly. When you think the kraut is done, transfer it to quart-size freezer-style zip-lock bags and freeze them.
  4. With the sauerkraut in these bags, it is so easy to, say, pull a couple of bags out, run them under hot water for a minute to loosen the kraut, put the contents into a crock-pot with two kielbasa, sit it on low for 5.5 hours, and you will have a delicious dinner waiting when it's done!

Escarole and Pastina Soup

This delicious Escarole and Pastina soup includes many Italian flavors that remind me of my childhood. This soup is perfect for a wintery day. Add chicken or sausage to make the soup heartier.

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 Escarole and Pastina Soup
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings
people
Ingredients
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion, carrot and garlic, salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low heat until the onion is tender, about 8 minutes.
  2. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the escarole and cook, stirring for a few minutes until the escarole is wilted. Add the broth, beans, and tomatoes. Simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the escarole is tender, about 20 minutes.
  3. Add the spinach and stir for a minute or two minutes until the spinach is wilted.
  4. Cook the pastina separately. Scoop pastina into the bowls. Ladle the soup on top of the pastina. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve the soup hot!
Recipe Notes

The recipe was adapted from the Los Angeles Times.

Puran Poli Recipe

Puran poli is a sweet dessert that is part of the traditional Hindu celebration of Holi. The dessert recipe is a flatbread filled with lentils, cardamom and nutmeg, served with ghee.

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 Puran Poli
Prep Time 2 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Prep Time 2 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Wash the chana dal 2-3 times. Add 5 cups of water along with the dal in a heavy-bottomed pot. Let the lentils cook on medium-low heat for an hour, stirring a few times. Remove any white foam that may rise up.
  2. Drain all the water. Add sugar, nutmeg powder, cardamom powder, and saffron. Mix well, and cook stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Cool down the cooked dal for 10 mins. Blend it to a smooth consistency with a hand blender or food processor.
  4. Knead soft, pliable dough with 1 cup of whole wheat flour, salt, and oil. Let the dough rest for 30 mins.
  5. Start making balls for the dough and the stuffing, which should be of the same size.
  6. Put a heavy griddle on medium-high heat. Roll the dough by using the dry wheat flour that is kept aside for rolling. Make a 3-4 inch diameter circle. Put the stuffing in the middle of the rolled dough and then gather all the sides of the dough on top of the stuffing to enclose it. Roll the bread softly using more dry flour. Gently put the rolled bread on the heated griddle. Cook evenly on both sides to a perfect golden brown color. Serve with ghee on top.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from: http://ministryofcurry.com/puran-poli-a-sweet-lentil-stuffed-flatbread/

Winter Squash Bake with Feta

There are a few dishes in my cooking rotation that I can make in my sleep. This winter squash bake with Feta cheese is one of them – thanks to my sister-in-law who first made this dish for us a few years ago. It’s evolved to take in estranged vegetables, like that last head of broccoli or a handful of spinach. You can swap out any vegetable you like, make this vegan or vegetarian. It’s easy to make ahead, freeze, is great comfort food and travels well. Even the pickiest eaters in our family will eat this one. Enjoy!

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 Winter Squash Bake with Feta
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Heat your olive oil and brown your sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage.
  3. Add another swirl of olive oil to the pan drippings. Stir in garlic, onion, bell pepper and broccoli. Cook for two minutes.
  4. Stir in the squash and coat with the oil mixture in the pan. Add oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Stir in the spinach and squeeze some lemon juice on top of it. Stir for just a moment until it wilts.
  6. Combine the vegetables and sausage in a baking dish. Swirl in a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some more salt and pepper.
  7. Cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Once it is, or slightly before, remove foil and add feta cheese.
  8. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the feta is bubbly and delicious. Serve with some crusty bread!