KAL Juice

Kale + Apple + Lemon are the key ingredients that make this drink, drinkable for me.  This is a refreshing drink that quenches my thirst and leaves me feeling satisfied.

What You Will Need:

6 - 8 Kale leaves
2 Granny Smith Apples, core & halved
1/2 - 1 Lemon, peeled
4 celery stalks
1 - 3 inch piece of Red Beet
5+ ice cubes (optional, but highly recommended)
Other optional ingredients:  1 inch piece of fresh Ginger; 1 cucumber

Let's Begin:

Rinse all fruits & veggies.  In juicer, place a little of each of the fruits & vegetables, alternating to get a mix.
Pour juice, in drinking glass, over ice.  That's it!

There are a lot of juicer recipes available; but this is one of my personal favorites.  Since I am a little squeamish about drinking these types of juice drinks, I don't add a large variety of vegetables, yet.  Although I loved to eat cooked & raw vegetables, I am working my way up to adding certain veggies (& even fruits) to my drinks.  I think it is the apples & lemon that make this drink palatable.  And serving over ice is the way I enjoy it best!

Banana Breakfast Cookies

Banana Breakfast Cookie.  You can eat these, guilt-free.  I found this recipe from Isabel De Los Rios' Beyond Diet, which I started following.  She has SO many great recipes.  My daughter made these moist delights...

Here's what you will need: 

2 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1/3 cup Almond Butter
2/3 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1/4 cup Protein Powder (We used Vanilla flavor)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/4 cup Chopped Nuts (Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds...)
1/4 cup Carob or Chocolate Chips

What to Do:

1.  Mix the mashed bananas and almond butter.  Peanut butter will work as well.
Add applesauce, protein powder and vanilla extract.  Mix well.

2.  Add oatmeal, nuts & carobs to the mixture, combining well.

3.  On a parchment lined cookie sheet, drop the cookie dough and flatten with the spoon.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.

A Happy & Healthy Breakfast!

These store well, IF, you manage to have any leftovers.   

Simple Patriotic Dessert

Everyone loves this dish.  And it takes almost no time to prepare.  You can prepare ahead of time or after your guests arrive.

THE INGREDIENTS:
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries
Cool Whip

THE DIRECTIONS:
Of course this looks best if using a trifle dish, but any dish will suffice.

Rinse fruit and trim greens off the strawberries.  I cut my strawberries in half.
Place all strawberries in dish, cover with cool whip, place blueberries on top.

Festive.  Fresh.  Fun.  Very Fourth of July-ish!

Shrimp & Veggie Pasta

This is a quick prep meal with easy clean up.  I like easy clean up as much as I like quick prep.
Knife, cutting board, maybe a strainer, pot with lid, cooking utensil, and a large skillet are all the tools you will need.  You do not really need measuring cups or spoons.  Just eyeball the ingredients and all will be well.  Really.  This dish has great flavor, and the perfect texture combination; some crunch and some soft chew.

THE INGREDIENTS:

Quinoa Pasta, spaghetti style, cooked according to package.
1 - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 organic zucchini, sliced (or julienne...)
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup baby carrots (julienne, strips...or leave whole if you like the extra bite - I do!)
Cooked Shrimp (tails off; I leave tails on and just remove as I eat.  My children know to do this as well).
1 fresh lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Sea Salt & Pepper (freshly ground is best) to taste
Sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Splash of Tabasco Sauce (optional)
Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated

THE DIRECTIONS:
To cook Quinoa spaghetti, add to boiling water and cook for 4-6 minutes.  While Quinoa is cooking:

Add olive oil to large skillet.  On medium/high heat, saute  zucchini, mushrooms, & carrots for 2  minutes (until just tender).  Toss in shrimp & pasta.  Drizzle fresh lemon juice on top, and sprinkle with fresh parsley, sea salt & pepper.  Toss in skillet.  Remove from heat.  Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.  The cayenne pepper and/or Tabasco sauce can be added with the lemon juice, or omit if you don't care for the spice.  I love spicy food, so I will go the extra step.

THE RESULTS:

Lemon & Dill Salmon

This is such an easy and fresh dish that I bake at least once a month.  Add any steamed vegetable and side dish of Quinoa or wild rice for a delicious, healthy and very appealing-to-the-eye, dinner.

THE INGREDIENTS:

Fresh Salmon (2+ lbs)
Fresh Lemon (1 whole lemon, sliced in half - I use Meyers from my garden)
Olive Oil (about 1-4 Tablespoons; may substitute for Butter, melted)
Dill Weed (about 1-2 Tablespoons)
Sea Salt (unrefined is best, or Kosher salt will work)
Black Pepper (freshly ground)
Garlic, chopped (1-2 cloves) Optional

THE DIRECTIONS:

STEP ONE:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease baking sheet with ~ 1 Tbsp. olive oil (or 1 Tbsp. butter).

STEP TWO:  Place salmon on prepared baking sheet and drizzle olive oil on top.  Squeeze 1/2 lemon over salmon.  Sprinkle with sea salt, ground black pepper and dill weed.  Turn salmon over and repeat on the other side with remaining ingredients.

STEP THREE:  In the preheated oven, Bake 25 minutes or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.

Again, this salmon goes well with a Wild Rice or Quinoa side dish, and fresh steamed vegetables - like

broccoli or string beans.  My kids eat it all up, every time.

Stuffed Mushrooms

A favorite tradition of ours is to prepare stuffed mushrooms for any special occasion or feast day.

There are a lot of versions out there; however, here is our simple version.

INGREDIENTS:

Large fresh mushrooms (about 24)
Green onions, sliced (about 2)
Garlic clove, minced (1) (optional)
Butter (2-4 Tablespoons)
Cream Cheese (1 8oz. box, softened)
Bacon, cooked and chopped (about 6 slices)
Sea Salt (only a pinch if you are using bacon)

DIRECTIONS:

STEP ONE:  Rinse and drain mushrooms on a paper towel.  Remove the stems and discard about half.  (I use the extra in my morning omelet.  You can sauteed them in butter and add to egg.  They last a few days in the refrigerator.)  Saute the chopped stems in the butter.  Add green onion and garlic.  Cook until tender.

STEP TWO:  In a large bowl, mix together the sauteed stems, onions & garlic with cream cheese & chopped bacon.  Now you are ready to stuff mushroom caps with the cream cheese mixture.  Nota bene:  you can substitute the cheese for shredded cheddar, smoked Gouda, or crumbled blue cheese - However, you will then need to add a little fine dry bread crumbs;  about 2/3 cup.  We keep it simple with the cream cheese.

STEP THREE:  Arrange the stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes in a 425 degree oven.  Once baked, remove from oven and drain on paper towel.  Serve warm....

~ Soft & Buttery Pretzels ~

Enjoy Home-Made Warm, Soft and Buttery Pretzels 

in TEN EASY STEPS.

This Recipe takes a little 'elbow grease', but well worth it!  Allow 1 hour for the dough to rise.  

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup white sugar + 1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup sea salt, used to sprinkle on top
2 tablespoons melted butter

LET'S GET STARTED:

1.  Dissolve yeast and only 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water.  Let stand until creamy and foamy (~ 12 min)
2.  In large bowl, mix flour, remaining sugar, and salt.  Making a well in the center, add the oil and yeast mixture.
3.  Mix into a dough.  (If the mixture is dry, you can add one or two tablespoons of water).  Knead the dough until smooth.  (This is the effort part.  It usually takes about 5 - 10 minutes to get that smooth texture).
4.  Place the dough in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled and turn to coat with oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place, for about 1 hour.

WELCOME BACK:

5.  Preheat oven to 450 F.  
6.  Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface.  (You can divide the dough in half and work with the first half, while storing the second half in the covered bowl).  Or,
just separate the dough into equal pieces.  Pull off about hand-full sized pieces of dough and roll into balls.  The larger the pretzels, the softer the inside.  Smaller pretzels will have a little crispness to them.  Both equally a delicious way to enjoy.  We prepare both ways!
7.  One at a time, roll balls into ropes (~ 12 inches long).  Again, depending how big you enjoy your pretzel...I say experiment and make both large and small.
8.  Shape dough into pretzels.  

     Here's How:  
          A)  Shape dough into a "U".
          B)  Cross the two ends of the rope over each other.
          C)  Press the tips into the bottom of the "U".  Pinching to make sure they stay.

9.  In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.  Once dissolved, dip each pretzel into this mixture and then place on a greased baking sheet.  Immediately sprinkle with sea salt.  (BTW - Unrefined sea salt is best).  It is also OK to wait and sprinkle pretzel with salt, after completing step 10.
10.  Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until browned.  After removing from oven, brush with melted butter.