FUEGO VERDE SALSA

When I make salsa, I try to make only as much as we can eat in a day or two, so I almost always make it in the small food processor attachment that came with my hand blender.  So if you want more than a small batch (enough for two people to dip chips in or pour on tacos for a day or two), then just multiply all the ingredients in proportion to one another and make it in a larger food processor or blender.

Ingredients:
(Makes small batch, about 3/4 cup)

3 jalapenos (less for the tender-tongued)
2 green onions, torn in half
6 or so stalks of cilantro, leaves only
Juice of 1/4 lime
1 tomatillo, cut in half
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. - 1 Tbsp. Trader Joe's Green Plant Juice (if you're not familiar, it looks like ground up beetles and is made with kale and broccoli but tastes like mango and bananas)

Directions:

1.  Blend all ingredients in a hand blender food processor attachment until well-blended, approximately 1 minute.  Add more Green Plant juice to taste.

ZESTY TOFU SALAD

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Several leaves green lettuce, chopped
Handful shredded/chopped green cabbage
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 carrot, diced
3 shitake mushrooms, diced
1/2 brick firm tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. + 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. crushed ginger
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Black pepper, to taste
Lemon juice, just a squeeze

Directions:

1.  Heat canola oil in wok over high flame.  Add tofu and mushrooms, stirring gently.

2.  Continue cooking tofu, allowing it to just start to brown on one side before stirring and turning, unsticking as you go.

3.  Add 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. garlic, and 1 Tbsp. ginger to the wok, stirring to coat tofu thoroughly.

4.  Continue cooking tofu until browned on all sides.

5.  Combine all remaining veggies in medium bowl.  Lay cooled tofu over the top.

6.  Mix orange juice, soy sauce, black pepper, lemon juice, and remaining garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.  Pour over salad and serve.

Notes:

*Great to take with you to work or school for lunch.  Just separate the tofu from the veggies and keep dressing in a small container.

*To make kid-friendly, cook veggies (minus lettuce and cabbage) with tofu and add spinach leaves.

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.

2 EASY & YUMMY FOOD TIPS!

Here are two super-easy, super-yummy food "tricks" of sorts that I can't believe it took me nearly 37 years to figure out:

1.  To inexpensively, quickly and easily "make" fruit-flavored yogurt, just keep a big tub of plain yogurt (I like Trader Joe's Cream Line or Greek) on hand, then mix a tablespoon-full of whatever jam or preserves you have on hand for sandwich-making into about a 1/2 cup of yogurt...each kid can have a different flavor, and you get to control how much sugar they have!

2.  As a super-fast chip dip, slice a ripe avocado in half, remove the pit, pour hot sauce (I like Valentina for its authentic flavor and consistency, but Cholula or Tapatio would work, too) into the divet, and scoop some out with each chip (use hearty chips or they will break).  Instant guacamole!

Enjoy!  :)

STICK-TO-YOUR-RIBS POTATO & BROCCOLI SOUP

So good, your kids may even eat it.

Caveat:  I'm not sure how *real* potato broccoli soup is made...I've never made it nor even seen a recipe.  I totally made this up on the fly after a failed attempt to make potato pancake thingies, and I liked it a lot (and so did 1/2 of the kiddos), so here it is!

Ingredients:
(3-4 entree servings)

5-6 smallish red, purple and/or yellow potatoes
1 tomato (I used a huge heirloom)
Garlic powder
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 bag Trader Joe's organic broccoli florets
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese + extra for garnish
1/4 carton Trader Joe's low sodium veggie broth

Directions:

1.  Preheat toaster oven to 350.  Poke holes in tomato, cut out center and fill/sprinkle with olive oil and dusting of garlic powder.  Wrap in foil and heat in toaster oven until warmed, then thickly slice.

2.  Poke holes in potatoes.  Nuke together in a circle on a plate for 3 minutes on one side, 2 minutes on the other side.

3.  Nuke broccoli in open bag or in bowl covered with microwave-safe plastic wrap for 2-3 minutes until soft.

4.  Add 2 slices tomato, broccoli, whole potatoes, and all cheese (except garnish) to a large food processor.  Process until completely smooth (will be extremely sticky and may even stop up the processor).

5.  Scoop potato mixture into pot over low-medium heat.  Immediately add enough broth to cover and stir well.  Continue stirring and adding broth until all lumps are gone and soup has reached desired consistency.  You can use a hand blender in the pot if necessary.

6.  Serve immediately with extra cheddar cheese for garnish with toasted sourdough slices on the side.

Notes:

*Can use raw tomato to speed the process.

*Add 1/2 jalapeno to the mixture before processing to add some pizzazz.

*Letting a kid put her own cheese on top of her soup seems to increase the likelihood of said kid eating said soup (at least according to my own entirely non-scientific research).