FRENCH TOAST

My husband made me French toast today that was truly yummy!

Ingredients:

1 egg mixed with 1 heaping tablespoon yogurt and a pinch salt

1 piece of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread

Soak the bread in the egg mixture.  Using a non-stick pan grill on both sides until done.

Use any of the following on top:

Sugar free syrups

1/2 portion of fresh fruits

1/4 c yogurt

CAULIFLOWER AND CHARD SOUP WITH TEMPE

Winter finds me craving soups, especially for lunch.  I like hearty soups.

Ingredients:

1 med. sweet potato or white potato - peeled and chunked

3 cloves garlic - diced

Pinch of Cardamon

1 Jalapeno 

1 large cauliflower - chunked

1 onion - sliced

1 carrot - sliced

Sea salt

Pepper

1/2 bunch chard - diced even the stem

8-12 oz Tempe broken into pieces

1 quart chicken broth or vege broth

In a large sauce pan, combine broth with cauliflower, potato, garlic, onion, carrot, jalapeno, cardamon, salt and pepper. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer ( uncovered ) until cauliflower and potato are very tender.  Remove mixture from heat and put in a blender.  Blend to mix everything into liquid form.  Return to sauce pan and to simmer.

Now add the Chard and the Tempe.  Cook until Chard is tender or longer as we want to reduce the liquid to a rich soupy mixture.

I'm making this today!

HARVEST GRAINS SALAD

  I usually don't tout a pre-packaged mixture, but Trader Joe's offers a bagged Harvest Grains that is great!  Use by itself or in this Salad....

Ingredients:

1 c. dried beans - any

2 c. Harvest Grains

1/2 onion - diced

1 cucumber - diced

1 tomato - diced

1 green or red pepper - diced

1 bunch Italian Parsley - diced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Red Wine and Rice Vinegar to Taste

1/2 cu. Lemon Juice

Read the backside of the Harvest grains package for cooking directions - this only takes a max of 10 minutes so you must first cook the dried beans.  Measure the liquid and use a mixture of vegetable broth and water ( or just water ).  Salt and Pepper the water.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.  Cook the beans until just tender - NOT MUSHY.  While still simmering, add the Harvest Grain mixture, cover and cook not more than 10 minutes - test at 8 minutes.  You want this firm not MUSHY.  Remove from heat and drain.  Wash with cool water. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix all the diced vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add oil and Lemon Juice.  Add very little Red Wine and Rice Vinegar.  Mix.  Add the grains and beans, mix.  Eat warm or refrigerate.

RAW GRANOLA

I've been making my own granola - don't ask me why... in any event, I like RAW and seeds in my diet.  For me, it lightens the load ( so to speak - lol ).

         

Ingredients: ( all RAW )

2 lbs Large Raw Oats

1 c. flax seed

1 c. pepitas

1 c. sunflower seeds

Just mix these in a plastic bag and use by measuring your portion.

Optional:

Dried Raisins, Cranberries, Cherries, and blackberried

What I do is take my yogurt or skim milk and 1/2 c of my raw granola mixture.  Use 1 Tablespoon of Agave or Stevia to sweeten, then sprinkle my dried fruit on top.

For those that was to experiment further....

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Measure out 2 cups of the granola and add 1/3rd cu dried fruit. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam.  Mix 1/4 c agave with 1/2 c water.  Pour this over the ingredients.  Bake, turning often, to toast the cereal and to absorb the water.

It's really good.

  

EGGPLANT SOUP

Thats right - Eggplant Soup !  This can be served hot or cold -

Ingredients :  

1 large or 2 medium eggplant insides ( Poke holes on one side with a fork - place in microwave 2 - 4 minutes until soft to the touch.  Allow to cool.  Scoop out the insides and discard the skin.)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 med sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 carton 12 oz chicken or vegetable stock

1 small jalapeno chopped

1 med green pepper - cubed and discard seeds

Juice from one lemon

Garnish :  sprinkle with goat cheese or just some parseley

Large Sauce Pan.

Mixer.

Place all the ingredients into the sauce pan until the sweet potato cubes are soft.  Remove from heat.  Using a mixer, liquify all ingredients.

Taste to see if you need to add more salt ( don't add pepper ).  The lemon taste should just be a hint.

Place the liquified soup back on the burner and allow to cook a bit longer.

Serve hot with sprinkled goat cheese or feta cheese and a spring of parsley - or serve cold!

Enjoy.

SIMPLE AND LIGHT SALAD DRESSING OR MARINADE

My husband developed this simple salad dressing that we use also as a marinade....

Ingredients:

1 lemon - squeeze as you only need the juice

1/4 - cu juice from Capers ( buy the jar of capers you can always use them! )

1 heaping Tablespoon Capers ( use this only if a salad dressing )

2 cloves garlic - chopped

1 tsp oil

Try this!

ABSTINENT THANKSGIVING MENU

  NOVEMBER - THANKSGIVING - ugh!

 

The most difficult test - no tasting!  Appoint a taster you trust - ( LOL )

Beginnings :

Flax Seed Crackers

Hummus

Fresh Vegetables

Hard Cheese

Main Meal :

Turkey with mushroom gravy on the side ( see recipe for mushroom gravy )

Ham with various mustard sides

Multigrain and brown rice stuffing

Yams sweetened with sugar free maple syrup

Stir fry green beans

Green Salad or just sliced tomatoes garnished with basil

Dessert :

Crustless pumpkin custard

Baked apples

Now , what's wrong with this?  You know what and when you can eat what. 

Happy Thanksgiving -