Recipes

Sprouted Quesadilla

Heat up a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Place one of the tortillas in the pan. Layer the remaining ingredients, in order, topping them off with the other tortilla. Flip over the whole quesadilla to warm up the other side. The fact that the Ezekial 4:9 tortilla is made of sprouted grains makes it a much healthier version of a white flour tortilla, not to mention it’s a heck of a lot tastier! Sprouted grains are enormously higher in nutrients than mature grains that are typically used in bread products. This quesadilla is so satisfying, you’ll feel great for hours. If you can’t get the sprouted grain tortillas, the next best options are a whole wheat flour tortilla or a corn tortilla.

Creamy Cashew Peaches

On a plate or in a bowl, place the peach slices. Spoon the Greek yogurt over them. Sprinkle the cashews on top of the yogurt. Finish off the presentation by drizzling the honey over the whole mound of goodness. Greek yogurt can be purchased at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or Greek grocery stores.

Autumn Stew

In a medium pot, soak the Anasazi beans in water for 24 hours. Drain off the soak water and rinse the beans. Place them back into the pot, fill with new water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook the beans for about 45 minutes or until they’re soft. Add the carrot slices to the beans and continue to cook 10 minutes. In the meantime, pour the mushroom soup into a large pot and place over medium-low heat. Add the walnuts, dill seed, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and parsley. When the carrots and beans are done cooking, drain off the water and add them to the mushroom soup. While the stew is warming through, sprinkle sea salt into it, test-tasting it every couple of minutes, until it is salty to your liking. This stew is ready for immediate enjoyment, but it’s even better on the second and third days as it is kept in the frig.

Pineapple Pistachio Treat

You know a pineapple is ripe when the exterior turns a rich combination of orange, auburn, and yellow, and feels soft to pressure. It is not ready if the color is green and yellow and it feels hard. Place the pineapple chunks in a bowl. Also pour into the bowl the juice that was left on the cutting board. Sprinkle the nuts over it. Drizzle the honey over the mixture and stir. Simple, delicious, healthy.. and a smash-hit holiday appetizer or dessert.

Easy Granola

Jim Bodine, the Grand Prize Winner of TLC’s 2004 “Kick In The Pants” Lifestyle Change Contest, ordered some granola at a restaurant one day and loved it so much, he asked the waitress for the recipe. He shared it with me and it looked great! I tweaked the recipe a little to improve the nutrition and make it more to my own liking. Thanks, again, Jim! Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Pour a tiny amount of olive oil on a baking sheet and spread it around to coat the entire surface. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the first six (dry) ingredients and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix the last four (wet) ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until all ingredients are totally moistened. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and spread it out toward the edges so that it is about 1/2 inch thick all the way across the sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven, leave the oven door closed, and allow the granola to sit in the oven for about 45 minutes while the oven cools. When completely cool, use a spatula to remove the granola from the baking sheet. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature. Incredibly tasty and crunchy!

Egg Salad Sandwich

Place the sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl of warm water to re-hydrate them and set aside. Place the eggs in a pot of water, deep enough to cover the eggs, and bring it to a boil with the lid on. When it begins to boil, remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes. Mince the celery. Use culinary scissors to cut up the tomatoes. Transfer the eggs to a colander and run cold water over them to cool them. Using the back of the spoon, smack each egg a couple of times to crack their shells a bit. This also assists with cooling. Peel the shells off the eggs. Use a hard-boiled egg slicer to slice each egg both horizontally and vertically. If you don’t have an egg slicer, cut the eggs into very small pieces. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, Vegenaise, celery, and sun dried tomatoes. Grind some sea salt into the bowl, fairly generously, mixing and tasting as you go, to make sure you’re not over-salting it. Sprinkle some white pepper into the bowl, cautiously, tasting as you go. For the salt and pepper, you could try approximately 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/4 tsp. white pepper. Makes about 2 cups salad or about 5 sandwiches. Variations: Instead of mixing sun dried tomatoes into the salad, try adding chopped cherry tomatoes to the sandwich; Instead of white pepper, try black pepper; Try adding a little yellow or dijon mustard.

Tofu Mediterranean

Place a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and marinara sauce to it. Drain off the liquid from the package of tofu. Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and place them in the pan in a single layer so that they are all in contact with the bottom of the pan. Move the sauce around the cubes to coat them well. Snip up the spinach and set aside. Sprinkle the cinnamon, ginger, white pepper, and sunflower seeds into the pan, stir everything, and place the lid on the pan for about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and stir, again forming a single layer of cubes across the pan, and cover the pan for another 3 minutes. Add the feta cheese and stir again. Place the lid on the pan, lower the heat, and let stand for about 5 minutes. Transfer the entire mixture to a serving dish. Snip up the dill directly over the top of the mixture, both for presentation and for taste!

Fast Veggie Omelet and Toast

Place the sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl of warm water to re-hydrate them and set aside. Place the eggs in a pot of water, deep enough to cover the eggs, and bring it to a boil with the lid on. When it begins to boil, remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes. Mince the celery. Use culinary scissors to cut up the tomatoes. Transfer the eggs to a colander and run cold water over them to cool them. Using the back of the spoon, smack each egg a couple of times to crack their shells a bit. This also assists with cooling. Peel the shells off the eggs. Use a hard-boiled egg slicer to slice each egg both horizontally and vertically. If you don’t have an egg slicer, cut the eggs into very small pieces. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, Vegenaise, celery, and sun dried tomatoes. Grind some sea salt into the bowl, fairly generously, mixing and tasting as you go, to make sure you’re not over-salting it. Sprinkle some white pepper into the bowl, cautiously, tasting as you go. For the salt and pepper, you could try approximately 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/4 tsp. white pepper. Makes about 2 cups salad or about 5 sandwiches. Variations: Instead of mixing sun dried tomatoes into the salad, try adding chopped cherry tomatoes to the sandwich; Instead of white pepper, try black pepper; Try adding a little yellow or dijon mustard.

Carrot Walnut Bread or Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, honey, and vanilla. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, mixing only until there are no more dry areas. Add in the carrots, walnuts, and coconut. Grease and flour 2 bread pans. Divide the batter equally into the pans and bake for about 55 minutes. Check the loaves at the 45 minute mark by inserting a wooden shish kabob stick into the bread. The stick should come out clean. If it doesn’t, continue baking to the 55 minute mark. This is a scrumptious, healthier version of the usual sugar- and fat-loaded carrot cake that most of us are familiar with. I love the cream cheese frosting that typically goes on top of a carrot cake as much as the next person does, but I love this naked bread just as well. So, forego the frosting and enjoy this recipe instead. Mmmmm, yummy!

Smoothie

Combine all ingredients in the blender and enjoy. If you are not hungry first thing in the morning, put the smoothie in a Tupperware container to take with you. In the winter, it can be kept cold in your car until you’re ready to drink it. If you have a refrigerator at work, store it in there until you become hungry. Even if it’s left at room temperature for a few hours, it tastes great!

Pizza Toast

1) Preheat the oven to 350°. 2) Heat up a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Using a bit of Pam or other cooking spray, sauté the vegetables until they are tender. Keep a lid on the pan to retain moisture, periodically stirring the vegetables. 3) While the vegetables are cooking on the stove top, and the oven is heating up, shred the cheese and toast the bread (It’s important that the bread be toasted). 4) Time to layer your pizzas! Put the shredded cheese on the toast first (The cheese acts as a moisture barrier, keeping the toast dry. If the sauce were the first layer, it would soak right into the toast, making it soggy.) Next comes the sautéed vegetables. If you are using Italian seasonings, sprinkle them on the vegetables. Finally, the sauce goes on top, exactly

Buck-eye Stew

Put the vegetable stock in a large pot over medium heat. Next, heat up a frying pan over medium-high heat, and when it gets hot, drizzle some olive oil in it. Place the carrots and shallots in the pan and sauté them until the shallots turn a little brown and the carrots get a little softer. When done, transfer the shallots and carrots to the pot of vegetable stock and add the buckwheat groats. Meanwhile, rinse and tear up the spinach leaves, discarding any tough stems. Add them to the pot. Sprinkle all the seasonings into the pot, stirring occasionally. Add the black-eyed peas last, and continue to warm the stew, but reduce the heat to low. It is important that you wait until the end of the cooking process to add the peas because they are already cooked and will turn mushy if you cook them too long in the stew.

You can make all sorts of variations of this stew with whatever you have in the refrigerator and cabinets. Be creative. You will learn what combinations of foods and seasonings you like best! If you don’t have access to stores that sell organic veggie broth, you can get Swanson’s vegetable broth at stores like Jewel or Dominick’s, and it comes in a can rather than a box. If you don’t have access to buckwheat groats, use any complex grain like brown rice or whole wheat pasta. The total prep and cook time is around 30 minutes. This stew makes about 4 servings. It tastes better each day that it is stored in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days.

Guacamole Tofu Sandwich

Combine the first 5 ingredients to make the guacamole and set aside. Place the marinara sauce and tofu slabs in a single layer in a small, nonstick frying pan on medium heat. Over the course of 10 minutes or so, flip the tofu slabs a few times and prevent the marinara sauce from sticking to the sides of the pan. Expect much of the sauce to be absorbed into the tofu and/or evaporate. Toast the bread and then spread the guacamole on both slices. Lay the tofu slabs and the lettuce leaves between the 2 slices of guacamole-covered toast. The sandwich will be layered so that from top to bottom, it goes: bread, guac, lettuce, tofu, guac, bread. Slice the sandwich in half diagonally for easier eating!

Yogurt Berry Waffles

These essentially are open-faced sandwiches that I consider a healthier version of waffles that are typically piled with whipped cream and syrupy fruit. The goat milk yogurt in this recipe has a tart, tangy taste that nicely juxtaposes the sweet berries and honey. I strongly recommend that you do not use flavored yogurt, as it will detract from the pure tastes of the toast and berries. The slices of the whole grain bread I suggested are rather small pieces, which I think are the perfect size. After toasting the bread, spread a thick layer of goat yogurt on each slice of toast. Arrange plenty of mixed berries on top of the yogurt and drizzle a little bit of honey over the top.

Citrus Heaven Magic Carpets

Spread some goat cheese on the Rye Krisp crackers (Don't be stingy with it, ya hear?). Spread some fig spread on top of that. Place some grapefruit and mandarins on these "magic carpet crackers" and you've got yourself an incredibly satisfying snack! It also makes a wonderful appetizer or a dessert.

Confetti Salad

Mix the dressing in a small Tupperware container first so that it can sit for a while, dissolving amongst itself. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Shake up the dressing just before you pour it over the salad. Then give the salad a final stirring before serving it. You'll love the textures in this chopped salad that my husband created and I tweaked.

Fruit and Nut Butter Sandwich

It is your choice whether or not to toast the bread. I prefer it toasted. Spread the nut butter on each slice. Place the fruit on one slice of bread and cover with the other slice. It's helpful to put the nut butter on both slices with the fruit sandwiched in-between because this prevents the fruit from getting squeezed out when you bite into it.

Garden Sandwich (open-faced)

Warning- this is deliciously addictive!

Combine the avocado, tomatoes, sea salt, red pepper, and Dulse flakes to make guacamole. Set this aside. To obtain 1/4 of a loaf of manna bread, cut the loaf in half "short ways" and then slice one of the halves crossways so you have a flat base upon which to build your open-face sandwich. Spread the Veganaise on the manna bread. The next layer is the mushroom, then the bell pepper, then the sprouts, then the sunflower seeds, and finally the guacamole on the very top, to help weigh it all down. This is a rather tall sandwich, so biting into it is somewhat messy. I prefer to cut it up and eat it with a fork. This is so satisfying, so delicious, and so filling, you will be content and cheery for hours. Enjoy!

Gorgonzola Caprese Salad

This is really too simple! My husband and I put our own spin on the traditional Italian Caprese salad by substituting Gorgonzola cheese for fresh buffalo mozzarella. We really like it and it never fails to impress our guests. Combine the tomatoes, basil, and Gorgonzola in a bowl. Sprinkle in some sea salt and black pepper. Pour a splash each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the salad. Stir it up well and let it sit for a little while so the flavors meld. Give it another stir just before serving. Then watch your guests' faces light up when they take their first bite!

Green Vegetable Juice Cocktail

Put all ingredients through a juicer machine. Be sure to put the garlic clove in between other ingredients because it's so small, it needs to be pushed on through. Drink immediately. Energy and nutrients straight from the earth!

Super Oatmeal with Walnuts and Blueberries

Bring the soy milk and sea salt to a boil. Add the oats and walnuts, reduce to medium heat and stir occasionally for five minutes. Add the honey and flax seed oil and stir. Finally, stir in the blueberries. Serve it up, nice and warm! Now that's what I call a delicious, healthy meal. Enjoy. * Note: Unsoaked nuts and seeds are hard to digest. Soaking nuts and seeds before eating them will activate the enzymes in them, which will aid digesting them. Put them in a bowl of water in the refrigerator overnight and they will keep for a couple of days. Use on salads, with fruit, in shakes, or by themselves.

Tiffany's Manna Bread

Takes only 10 minutes to mix and 20 minutes to bake.

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grind up each of the first 5 grains separately in a coffee grinder. Combine all grains, flour, and sea salt in an electric mixing bowl and slowly add the water. The goal is a stiff, medium dough, so only add as much water as that requires; it may not be exactly 1.75 cups. Next add the flax seed oil, and finally add the honey. If the electric mixer does not seem to be thoroughly incorporating the oil and honey, finish the mixing by kneading the dough with your hands. Grease a cookie sheet with a little safflower oil (or any other oil will suffice). Divide the dough into four rounds that are about 5" in diameter and 3/4" thick and arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bread feels somewhat dry and firm to the touch, but still moist. This is the "plain and simple" basic recipe. You can add almost any kind of goodies you fancy to the dough. For a breakfast bread, add dried cranberries and sunflower seeds. For a more sophisticated dinner bread, add fresh herbs or a touch of grated cheese. Add chocolate chips or carob chips and you've got a cookie. The options are limitless! You can also adjust the size of the rounds to make smaller or larger servings, but monitor the baking process closely because size may affect baking duration. You can butter your manna bread or dip it in olive oil. you can crumble it onto your salad...you can crumble it into a bowl, pour nut milk or soy milk over it, and eat it like cereal.. you can dip it in hummus or baba gannouj...you can bring it with you to work and eat it straight as a snack.

* If you use buckwheat groats, that will be the most noticeable flavor in the finished product. I like the taste of buckwheat, but some people do not.

* If you use brown rice instead of buckwheat groats, expect the dough to be much more gluten-y and stretchy. Use less water if you use the brown rice, since it contains quite a bit of moisture.

Butternut Squash Appetizers

Many people are unaware of how sweet and wonderful winter squashes are, regard them as weird-looking, erroneously assume they are unpalatable, and have no idea what to do with them. If that describes someone you know, this recipe will open a whole new world! Butternut squash in particular is sweet like candy. Acorn squash is only slightly less sweet. These squash appetizers are a healthy and delicious version of the popular Wheat Thins topped with Cheeze Whiz or other non-food spread.

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. To cook the squash, cut it in half lengthwise, leaving the seeds and pulp inside. Smear a little sunflower oil on a metal baking sheet/tray, only where the squash halves are going to lie (if you put oil all over the tray, it will burn up and smell). Place the squash halves cut side down on the baking tray where you smeared the oil. Bake them for about 25 minutes. When you can easily impale a sharp knife edge into the squash, it is done. Be sure to test-poke it in several places, since some areas may cook slower than others. If you spear a spot that’s still firm, leave it in the oven for another ten minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the squash to cool to room temperature. When it is cool enough to hold in your hands, scrape out the seeds and pulp from each half and discard. Now scrape out all the flesh and pile it into a bowl.

Arrange the Nut Thins crackers on a serving tray. Place a spoonful of squash on each cracker. Sprinkle a little sea salt over them. Place a dollop of plain goat milk yogurt on top of the squash. Carefully sprinkle with nutmeg (not too much— it’s a strong taste!). Drizzle a tiny bit of black truffle/olive salad dressing over them.

These little disks of gastronomic pleasure are simple and fast to prepare. You can serve 50 of them on a tray as appetizers or make 6 or 8 just for yourself. Once the squash is cooked, it will keep in a plastic container in the refrigerator for a week, so there’s no need to worry about it going to waste. It usually lasts a full week if you eat a little bit every day.

Squirrel Mix

Mix together equal parts of all ingredients for a wonderfully textured, healthy snack. You may find out that you prefer different amounts of certain ingredients, so feel free to tinker with the proportions. This mix is a perfectly wise combination of nutritious goodies, but all of them are calorie-dense. People get into trouble (overfeeding) when they eat handful after handful unconsciously, with no idea how much they’ve put away! So limit yourself to 2/3 cup.