HEALTHY NO-COOK DINNER

Well, OK, it IS cooked, but the microwave doesn't really count, right?  The main point is that there are no pots and pans to scrub, or stove to wipe down!  :)

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 servings)

1 package Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice
1/2 package Trader Joe's pre-cooked lentils
Handful organic spinach leaves
2 green onions
Sprinkling of Trader Joe's lite Mexican shredded cheese
1/2 lime
1/4 jalapeno, diced
4 Tbsp. Trader Joe's Chipotle Sauce (or equal parts ketchup + Worcestershire sauce + Tabasco Chipotle Sauce + mayonnaise)
1/2 avocado, sliced
Few sprigs of cilantro

Directions:

1.  Snip corner of rice bag and nuke for 3 minutes.

2.  Divide rice between two bowls.

3.  Top each bowl of rice with half of lentils and half of spinach.  Cut one green onion over each bowl with scissors.  Sprinkle each with cheese and jalapeno.  Squeeze lime juice over each.  Drizzle half of chipotle sauce over each.

4.  Nuke each bowl for approximately 1 minute.  Top each with avocado slices and cilantro.

Notes:

*Find the lentils on the vegetable wall at TJ's.

*Note that if you use Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, it contains anchovies and therefore is not vegetarian, but other brands are swimmer-free.

*If you prepare this all the way to the last step but don't cook, you can easily take it with you to work or school and nuke in the kitchen there...easy, fast, cheap, delicious & healthy!

*I use scissors to cut the jalapeno, too, and I slice the avocado in its skin in my hand with a dull-ish knife, so there is literally nothing to clean after cooking this except the scissors, the knife, and the bowls and forks.  Heaven!

*Leave out jalapeno and use sweet barbecue sauce for kiddos.

GREENS & CHICKPEA STEW

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 entree size portions)

1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. crushed garlic
5 white mushrooms, crumbled
3 small red potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Red pepper, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
2 servings brown rice, cooked

Directions:

1.  Prick potatoes with fork and nuke for approximately 3 minutes.  Chop and set aside.
2.  Heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and stir until lightly browned, approximately 6 minutes.  Add garlic, stir, and cook another 4 minutes.
3.  Add greens, toss, just until wilted.
4.  Pour in enough broth to cover vegetables.  Add chickpeas, potatoes, mushrooms, brown sugar, vinegar, red pepper, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and parsley.
5.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6.  Stir in mayonnaise until fully dissolved.
7.  Serve over brown rice.

Notes:

*Leave out red pepper when serving to munchkins.

*Stir in sliced, cooked sausage for the carnivores in your life.

CAULIFLOWER FRITTATA

Ingredients:

1/2 cauliflower, only florets broken into small bits

2 leeks, halved and thinly sliced

4  fresh sage leaves

1-2 tsp. crushed garlic

1/3 bunch chard (approximately 1 1/2 cups), removed from stems and chopped

Olive oil 

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella

Handful shredded Quattro Formaggio or Swiss Cheese

Small chunk mild blue cheese, broken/smushed into bits 

Splash Worcestershire sauce

Salt

Pepper 

8 eggs

1/2 cup non-fat milk 

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a square casserole dish with olive oil spray.

2.  Cover cauliflower and a splash of water in a bowl with microwave-safe plastic.  Nuke for 1 minute.

3.  In a large sautee pan over medium-high flame, heat some olive oil.  Add cauliflower, garlic, sage and leek.  Stir frequently for 5 minutes.  Turn heat off and add chard, stirring with tongs until chard is just wilted.  Remove sage leaves.

4.  Add cauliflower mixture to casserole dish.  Sprinkle with all cheeses equally.

5.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour into casserole dish.

6.  Bake for 30 minutes or until frittata is puffy and almost browned.  Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.

Notes:

*Increase likelihood of kiddos eating by covering each serving with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese (or gummy bears, or goldfish crackers, or whatever it takes).

*Kids can help by breaking off cauliflower florets, tearing chard off of stems, or whisking eggs.

*Tastes even better the next day!

*Go easy on the blue cheese, even if you really like it...it can overpower the more delicate flavors of the chard and cauliflower.