Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cubed butternut squash

• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

• 16 jumbo shells

Filling

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• 1 cup cashew cream, from the recipe above

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Cashew Cream

• 1½ cups raw cashews*, see note

• 1 cup fresh water

• 1 garlic clove

• 3½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

• Make the cashew cream: Pour boiling water over cashews, just enough to cover and let sit for one hour. Blend together the drained raw cashews, fresh water, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.*

• Make the filling: Mix the cooled squash, spinach, and 1 cup of cashew cream with the lemon zest, oregano and red pepper flakes.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain.

• Assemble the shells. Spray the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking dish with olive oil. Fill each cooked shell with some of the filling and place into the baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil over the shells, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven and serve with the remaining cashew cream. **

*If you are not going vegan, you can substitute 8 oz of skim ricotta cheese for the cashew cream.

**Feel free to drizzle fresh marinara over the shells before you bake

Adapted from https://www.loveandlemons.com

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Black Bean Mash (Or Black Beans on Toast with Avocado & Tomato)

Adapted from Vegan for Everybody

This makes a great breakfast, lunch or snack!  Paulo likes to eat just the mash with a side of brown rice.

Ingredients

• 4 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 2 cups black beans (rinse and drain if using canned beans)

• Pinch of pepper

• 1/2-1  tsp chili powder, (I prefer Penzey's Chili 3000!)

• 1/4 cup boiling water

• 1/2 tsp lime zest, plus 1 tbl lime juice

• 1 ripe avocado

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Method

• Place beans, boiling water, lime zest and juice, pinch of pepper, chili powder and cilantro in a bowl.  Mash with potato masher until coarse puree, leaving some whole beans intact.
• Toast bread and spread mashed bean mixture evenly on toast.  Top with tomatoes and avocado ! 

Butternut Squash, Kale and Quinoa Bake

Adapted from The Minimalist Baker

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 cups butternut squash, chopped into small, bite-size cubes
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or avocado oil, divided
• 3⁄4 cup quinoa
• 1 ⁄2 cup vegetable broth
• 1⁄2 medium red onion sliced in thin rings
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces cremini, button, or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
• 3 cups loosely packed kale, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Penzey's Mural of Flavor
• Sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cubed butternut squash and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper.

3. Toss to coat and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until just fork tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. In the meantime, thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Add to small saucepan with vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until liquid is fully absorbed and quinoa is fork tender—about 15 minutes. Set aside, covered.

5. Heat a large oven proof large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, and garlic. Season with a pinch of pepper.

6. Cook until onion is soft and translucent ( 4 to 5 minutes) stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are lightly browned.

7. Add kale to the pan. Season with Mural of Flavor, red pepper flakes and pepper. Stir to coat. Cook until kale is just tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

8. Once quinoa is finished cooking, reduce oven temperature to 375°F Add cooked quinoa to skillet. Top with vegetable-walnut mixture and roasted butternut squash. Lightly stir/toss to combine.

10. Bake uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes to warm through. Serve immediately.

Portobello "Steak" Fajitas

Adapted from http://whattheheckdoieatnow.com/2015/09/16/portobello-steak-fajitas/

Ingredients

• 6 large portobello mushrooms
• Marinade (this will be divided)

1. ½ cup grapeseed oil
2. ½ cup fresh lime juice
3. 4 tsp dried oregano
4. 4 tsp ground cumin
5. 3 tsp chili powder
6. 1½ tsp salt
7. freshly ground pepper

The Rest:

1. 1 large red peppers thinly sliced
2. 1 large yellow pepper thinly sliced
3. 1 large orange pepper thinly sliced
4. 1 large green pepper thinly sliced
5. 1 large red onion thinly sliced
6. 6-8 whole wheat flour tortillas
7. 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8. Cilantro
9. Sliced avocado or guacamole (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the portobellos. Scrape out gills and remove stems with a small spoon. Wash gently or alternatively wipe with a damp cloth. Slice into long ½ inch wide strips.
2. Thinly slice peppers and onions
3. Prepare the marinade by whisking together the grapeseed oil, lime juice, dried oregano, ground cumin, chili powder, salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste).
4. Add cut mushrooms to one large flat baking dish and peppers/ onion to the other.
5. Set the pepper/ onion mix in the fridge until later.
6. Toss the mushrooms well with about ¾ of the marinade. Set the remaining ¼ of the marinade aside for later. Leave the mushrooms marinating for at least half an hour (preferably longer) tossing every 30 minutes as able. Cover and refrigerate.
7. When you're ready to eat, toss the pepper mix with the remaining marinade. Preheat a large skillet and pour in contents of the bowl containing peppers/onions/ marinade. Saute over medium for about 10 minutes or until veggies are softened.
8. Meanwhile preheat a grill pan over med or high heat. Lay the marinated mushrooms on the pan and grill 3-5 minutes per side until they have nice char lines.
9. Warm tortillas in a separate skillet.
10. To assemble:
11. Place tortilla on a plate and layer with mushrooms, pepper/onion mix, or avocado if using, cilantro and any other desired toppings. Roll and enjoy!

A Healthier You in 2018

A Healthier You in 2018

A 4 Part Lecture/Activity Series presented by Paulo & Stephanie

Monday at 6:45 beginning January 8th

Includes Healthy Snacks!

Register for all 4 for $100 and bring a spouse, partner or housemate for FREE!

Lectures can be purchased individually for $30

 

·      Lecture 1: 10 Steps to a Healthier You

Learn the small steps you can make daily to lead you to a healthier life, including nutritional changes as well as plans of behavioral change

·      Lecture 2: Food & More

Includes information on: Eat this, not that, Grocery Shopping Tips & Kitchen Hygiene

·      Lecture 3: Incorporating Movement & Mindfulness Daily

Learn the basics of Mindfulness & Meditation and 10 easy ways to get more movement in your day

·      Lecture 4: Let’s Have Dinner

Everyone gets to prepare and share a healthy recipe they have enjoyed!

Space is limited; register today!

Steph's NEW Famous Slow Cooker Chili (VEGAN)

Finely chop the following:

• 2 stalks celery

• 2 large carrots

• 1 seeded red pepper

• 1 seeded green pepper

• 1 small broccoli crown

• 1 sweet onion

• 1 cup mushrooms

• 2 small seeded jalapenos

• 2 tsp garlic

• 2 large tomatoes (or 1 can no salt organic can tomatoes)

• 3 cups of your favorite beans, rinsed & soaked (or 2 cans of your favorite            beans, rinse thoroughly

• 3 Tbl Chili Powder (I prefer Penzey’s Original and I only use Penzey's   spices)

• 2 Tbl Cumin

• 2 Tsp Oregano

• 1/2-1 tsp Cayenne

• 1 tsp Chipotle chili powder

• 1 tsp Smoked paprika

Method:

Layer the veggies in the slow cooker  and cook on low all day.  Stir frequently as it starts to cook.

Adjust the spices to suit your taste and serve with brown rice or oven baked sweet potato and top with fresh cilantro if desired

Tuscan Farro White Bean Soup

Adapted from NYT Cooking: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1845-tuscan-farro-soup

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup farro, spelt or barley
• 1 cup dried white beans, soaked for several hours or overnight
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; do not drain)
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable stock or water, more as necessary
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, optional

Method

·  Put oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat; a minute later add onion, celery, carrots, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook until vegetables are glossy and onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir; add farro, beans, tomatoes and stock, and stir.

·  Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until farro and beans are tender, at least an hour, adding stock or water as necessary if mixture becomes too thick. Stir in spinach, parsley and basil (if using), then cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning

Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry Adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pounds/800g), trimmed
• Sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 3 onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• A large pinch of dried chile flakes
• 1 (14-ounce/400g) can plum tomatoes, chopped, any stalky ends and skin removed
• 1 (14-ounce/400g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz organic light coconut milk
• Organic low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons curry powder (I prefer Penzey’s Sweet Curry)
• 8 oz spinach or other greens
• A good handful of cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Preparation

• Cut the cauliflower into medium florets. Put into a large pan, cover with cold water, add some salt, and bring up to a rolling boil. This will partly cook the cauliflower. Take off the heat right away, drain well, and keep warm in the pan.
• Heat the oil in a second large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the ground coriander, cumin, chile flake, and some salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes with their juice and the chickpeas. Stir well, then add the parcooked cauliflower. Pour in coconut milk and enough vegetable broth to almost but not quite cover everything (1/3 to 3/4 cup/100 to 200ml) and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower is tender.
• Stir in the garam masala, curry powder, greens and half of the chopped cilantro, then check the seasoning. Serve scattered with the remaining cilantro and accompanied by brown rice.

Baked Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

* 2 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced

    * 4 egg whites, beaten

    * 4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs (homemade fresh is better!)

    * 6 cups marinara sauce, divided (I make my own from fresh or can tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs...Mark Bittman is a great source for fresh sauce)

    * 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, sliced (better quality cheese, better tasting dish)

    * 3 TBL grated Parmesan cheese, divided

    * 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

    * 3 cups fresh spinach leaves

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

   2. Dip both sides of eggplant slices in egg, and let egg drip off. Then press each side in  bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with PAM. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes on each side.

   3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread marinara sauce thinly to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce, layer first with fresh spinach leaves and then mozzarella cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle basil on top.

   4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.