Warm Almond and Bean Salad

As much as I love a good salad, I can also get disgustingly sick of them. I once had grilled romaine at a restaurant and thought it was fantastic, so this idea came into my mind and it's very tasty.

You'll need...
One head of Romaine Lettuce
16oz can of drained Light Red Kidney Beans
1/2cup of Slivered Almonds
Oregano
Buttermilk Spice

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Chop the Romaine Lettuce and place in a rectangular baking dish.
Sprinkle with Penzey's Buttermilk Spice.
Once the lettuce starts to brown slightly add the Almonds and Light Kidney Beans.
Sprinkle with Oregano.
Cook in oven for 4-6 minutes longer or until the kidney beans start to split.

Serve Warm. Yum!

A Cool Summer 'Pasta' Meal

I found a pasta made from soy beans. There is no enriched white flour and there isn't even any whole wheat flour, all soy beans, organic, and gluten free. It's made by Nutrition Kitchen and I've found it at Whole Foods and Giant Supermarket.

What you need:
One box of Whole Soybean Pasta
One 9oz bag of Baby Spinach
One medium sized cucumber, diced
Five Vine Ripe Tomatoes, diced
Feta Cheese
Olive Oil to taste
Oregano to taste
Penzey's Buttermilk Spice to taste

Cook one box of Whole Soybean Pasta

Once the Soybean Pasta is cooked, drain and set aside for a few minutes to cool.

In a large salad/mixing bowl place a layer of

Spinach
Soybean Pasta
Tomatoes
Cucumbers

Sprinkle with Olive Oil, Oregano, and Buttermilk Spice

Add one more layer of

Spinach
Soybean Pasta
Tomatoes
Cucumbers

Again, sprinkle with Olive Oil, Oregano, and Buttermilk Spice

Toss and serve. Add feta cheese to the top of each dish. Can be served warmed and cold.

Dessert or Breakfast Treat

1 cup fresh, sliced strawberries
1 cup 2% or 5% greek yogurt
1 tbsp dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut
cinnamon

Mix strawberries (or other berries) with greek yogurt.
Sprinkle coconut on top. Sprinkle cinnamon to desired taste.

Stuffed Squash Variation

Thought I'd try to mix some flavors up a bit. This variation is fantastic. Again I'm using Morning Star Meal Starters Crumbles, feel free to substitute in any lean protein of your choice.

To speed up the cooking time slice the acorn squash in half, spoon out the seeds and pulp, place in a baking dish, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with cinnamin, and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. (This was a little faster than gutting it like a pumpkin.)

Brown the Meal Starters (or whatever other lean protein you desire) in olive oil in a frying pan. Sprinkle sweet yellow curry on top and mix in. This should be done to taste, but I covered the surface with sweet curry. Once browned sprinkle about 1/4 cup of dry unsweetened coconut, 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries, and 3/4 cup of almonds. Once mixed in, place contents inside each half of the baking acorn squash. Bake for 8-10 more minutes.

Great to eat right away or as a snack the next day.

Spaghetti Squash, A Pasta Alternative

Althoug nothing beats a nice large bowl of freshly made pasta in the middle of winter, there are several food items that can replace pasta in most dishes and serve it's purpose. (Mind you I am not saying spaghetti squash tastes like pasta)

Spaghetti Squash
Spinach, 3 cups
Tomato, 1-2 large
Lean Protein Source, Quorn Meatballs in this case
Parmasean Cheese, freshly grated

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and spoon out the insides (just like you do with a pumpkin)
Place squash in oven, cook at 350 degrees for about an hour. Depeding on the size of the squash cooking time might be longer or shorts.

With about 20 minutes of cooking time left for the squash, cook the lean protein source in light olive oil, add in the spinach at the end and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Dice the tomato and set aside.

Once the spaghetti squash is cooked, carefully remove from oven with an oven mit or towel. Take a fork and start and shread the squash away from the outer shell.

Place 1 cup of squash on a plate, add the spinach and lean protein, then the tomato to the top, sprinkle with parmasean cheese.

Roasted Vegetables

Side - Roasted Vegetables

The Vegetables

2 Yams, peeled and chopped
1 Butternut Squash, chopped
1 Eggplant, quatered and speared
2 Cups Grape Tomaotes
3 Cups Portobella Mushrooms, sliced

The Marinade

6 TBSP Extra Virin Olive Oil
8 TBSP Balsamic Vinagrette
1 TBSP Brown Mustard
Sprinkle Basil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

After cleaning and cutting all of the above ingredients, put into a 1 gallon zip lock bag. Drizzle the marinade over the cut vegetables inside the bag. Let sit for 45-60 minutes. Places vegetables in oven at 325 degrees until browned. Flipping vegetables occassionally.

Cranberry Citrus Chicken

This one takes literally no more than 10 minutes to prepare and cook. Very fast, very tastey.

1TBSP Extra Light Virgin Olive Oil
6 oz Quorn Chik'n Tenders (not breaded)
1/3 cup Whole Dried Cranberries
1/3 cup Whole Blanched Almonds
Juice from 1/2 of a Medium Lime
A Sprinkle of Basil

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.
Lightly brown the Quorn Chik'n Tenders.
Squeeze the juice from half the lime into the skillet.
Add cranberries, almonds, and lightly sprinkle with basil.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, mixing occassionally.
Serve.

Be careful not to cook the cranberries too long, so they don't start to carmelize.