This healthy, hearty and tasty "salad" can be served as a main dish or as a side along with some roasted chicken. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/2 pound carrots, halved lengthwise
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 small acorn squash, halved, seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch slices
5 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dried French green lentils, rinsed
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees. On two baking sheets, arrange carrots, onion, and squash; drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until caramelized and tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with water by two inches. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; season with salt and pepper.
Combine vinegar and mustard. Pour in remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Toss the lentils the with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Spoon over the over roasted vegetables. Serve hot.
Yields: 2-3 main dishes or 4-5 sides.
Slightly adapted from: http://www.wholeliving.com/146164/roasted-fall-vegetables-lentils
Spicy, richly flavored, healthy and hearty, this soup is great for a cool fall day. If you have never cooked with farro it is similar in appearance to brown rice, but is chewier and denser giving the soup a hearty texture. If you prefer to use brown rice instead just adjust the cooking time from 25-30 minutes to 40-45 or until the rice is tender. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 TBS olive oil
8 ounces chorizo, casings removed
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
1 TBS tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup farro
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
Directions
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the carrots, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the broth, farro, and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the farro is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, chard, cooked chorizo, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the chard is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Yield: 4 servings
Slightly adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/farro-soup-with-chorizo-10000001834000/
This healthy pasta dish has an amazing sun-dried tomato flavor. Dishes like this are why I love Mediterranean food - simple, healthy and flavorful. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/2 pound whole wheat fusilli (spirals) pasta
Kosher salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
Dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 TBS capers, drained
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan (if using) and basil, and toss well. Best served chilled (this also allowing the flavors to meld for a few hours).
Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pasta-with-sun-dried-tomatoes-recipe/index.html
This rice dish is flavorful and exotic tasting. The nuts add crunch and the coconut adds richness. It would also be great with some chopped dried fruit such as apricots or golden raisins for a bit of sweetness. It is great served with grilled chicken or flank steak. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 cups water
2 1/4 cups jasmine rice
1/2 TBS kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the rice, salt and cardamom and cover. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the rice. Stir the toasted almonds and coconut into the rice and serve.
Yield: 8 servings
Adapted from http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/toasted-coconut-basmati-rice
There is nothing that signals the holidays to me more than pumpkins. I love decorating with them, roasting them, making them into pies, cakes, muffins...and enjoying them in smoothies. This recipe gives your all the flavors of a pumpkin pie without all the calories and fat. If you prefer your smoothies a bit sweeter, add in a dab of agave or maple syrup. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/2 cup of canned pumpkin puree (or roasted pumpkin, mashed)
1 small banana (I prefer mine frozen)
4 oz yogurt (I used peach-flavored soy)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
Pinch of each: nutmeg, allspice and cloves
1/2 cup almond milk
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. If you are not using a frozen banana and prefer your smoothie cold, either chill it for at least a half hour before serving or add a bit of ice when blending. Yield: 1 large smoothie
Adapted from: http://www.brettbara.com/recipes/recipe-pumpkin-smoothie/
Looking for an energy bar that tastes good, is good for you and doesn't cost $2 a pop? Then this recipe is for you. These bars are sweet, but not overly so, and are really easy to make. If you are not a fan of figs you could try using dates instead, though I would skip the honey as they will get too sticky. If you prefer larger pieces of nuts, chop them up first then stir them into the fruit mixture by hand. Also, you can use any fruit or nuts that you prefer...blueberries instead of the raisins...almonds in place of the hazelnuts...this recipe is really flexible. Play with it and, above all enjoy!
Ingredients
3/4 cup dried figs, turkish or black mission
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dry roasted hazelnuts
1-2 tablespoons organic honey (optional)
Directions
Place the first three ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until the batter comes together. Add in the hazelnuts and honey, and plus until combined. Empty the batter onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper (using a small cookie sheet or loaf pan really helps get the edges tight). Press out the mixture with your hands until it is even in height all the way around, about 1/2 inch high. Wrap tightly in plastic and let harden overnight in a cool place or the refrigerator.
Yield: 4-6 bars
Adapted from: http://recipes.runnersworld.com/Recipe/PaleysEnergyBar.aspx
Can't bear to start your oven on a hot summer day, but you are really craving cookies? Don't have a lot of time nor do you want much of a mess to clean up? Then these are the perfect cookies for you. They are richly chocolaty with a great peanut butter taste, not to mention super easy to make. Enjoy!
Ingredients
3 T butter
1/4 cup soy milk (or milk of choice)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 heaping tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter (I prefer all-natural peanut butter)
1 1/4 cups old fashioned or quick-cooking oats (not instant)
2 TBS oat bran
Directions
Melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave. Add the peanut butter and stir until incorporated. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly (you don't want to fully melt the chocolate chips). Add the sugar, cocoa and milk and stir well. Stir in the chocolate chips, the oats and oat bran. Stir until thoroughly combined.
With wet hands or a mini ice cream scoop, place little balls of the mixture on a wax paper lined plate or pan. Refrigerate for thirty minutes or until hard.
Makes about 18 large (TBS-size) cookies.
Adapted from: http://www.eatliverun.com/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-cookies/
