THE PERFECT DIP (PEA HUMMUS)

THE PERFECT DIP (PEA HUMMUS)

It's healthy, it's easy, it's absolutely DELICIOUS!

It may not look like much, but it packs a flavor punch!

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh or frozen peas (thawed)
4 tablespoons walnuts
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3-4 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. tahini
4-8 mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt (or less if using salty crackers like Ritz)
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.  You may need to add a bit more olive oil or lemon juice to get the right consistency.

2.  Serve with your favorite crackers or veggies.

Notes:

*Perfect appetizer or potluck item.

*Great way to get kids to eat veggies (if they like garlic).

*Packed with nutrients and protein.

BREAKFAST AVOCADO TOAST

BREAKFAST AVOCADO TOAST

Ingredients:

1 piece of toast (recommend Ezekiel/sprouted/whole grain/whole protein)
1/4 avocado
Few drops of lemon juice
Smoked paprika
Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Spread avocado on toast, sprinkle with lemon, pepper, and paprika.

Notes:

*Add a sliced hard boiled egg for additional protein.

BREAKFAST PIZZA

BREAKFAST PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 piece toast (recommend Ezekiel or other whole grain/sprouted/whole protein bread)
1 tomato, sliced
2-3 Tbsp. non-fat ricotta cheese
Few fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1.  Spread with ricotta.

2.  Sprinkle with pepper and olive oil.

3.  Layer on one sliced tomato and a few torn basil leaves. Voila!

SPICY VEGAN MEXICAN SCRAMBLE

SPICY VEGAN MEXICAN SCRAMBLE

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash, diced
1/4 white onion, diced
Few Tbsp. olive oil
Garlic powder, to taste
1 tsp. coriander
2 Tbsp. dried cilantro
Sprinkle chili powder
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 can black beans, drained
2 tomatoes, diced
Spinach (1/2 bag, or two handfuls)
Tortilla chips
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 jalapeno, diced
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1.  Sautee squash and onion in olive oil for 3-5 minutes.

2.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, cilantro, coriander, and chili powder.

3.  Douse with lime juice and add stir in corn, beans and tomato and cook for a few more minutes.

4.  Add spinach, turn off heat, stir until spinach is wilted.

5.  Serve over brown rice, topped with crumbled tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro and jalapeno.

Notes:

*Leave out jalapeno if you're feeding kidlets, and consider sprinkling with shredded cheese or vegan cheese. 

PUMPKIN-JALAPENO HUMMUS

Ingredients:

One pie pumpkin from Trader Joe's (or 2 cups canned pumpkin)
1/2 large jalapeno
1/8 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. coconut milk
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 Tbsp. tahini
1 small Meyer lemon, halved and seeded
1 handful fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1.  If using fresh pumpkin, slice in half lengthwise, dispose of stem, seeds and strings.  Place halves face down in small glass dish, covered with foil, with 1/4" water in 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  Allow to cool slightly and scoop pumpkin out of shell.

2.  Add all ingredients except lemon to food processor and blend well until smooth.  During blending, add juice of the lemon and half of the lemon peel.

3.  Serve with hearty chips, such as blue tortilla chips.

Notes:

*Pumpkin is unbelievably good for you!  See, e.g., http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/279610.php

*You may like this even if (like me) you're not a huge hummus fan.

*Careful not to overdo the coconut milk, tahini or olive oil; you'll taste it more than any other flavor.

THE 300 CALORIE PASTA LUNCH

THE 300 CALORIE PASTA LUNCH
(OK, may be closer to 310 calories)

Well, they said it would happen, and it finally did...my metabolism seems to have slooooowed down.  Gone are the days of piling noodles high on a plate with all manner of sauces and cheese and whatnot.  Gotta start cutting the calories, but I'm definitely not cutting the flavor.  So, without further ado, my first calorie-conscious recipe..

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

1 1/2 cups dry Trader Joe's Brown Rice Fusilli
Splash of olive oil
1/8 cup Trader Joe's Basil Pesto Sauce
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 dried red chili peppers, chopped or torn into small bits
2 fresh basil leaves, cut or torn into small bits
2 medium tomatoes (I like Campari from Costco), chopped
Shake of black pepper
Shake of garlic powder

Directions:

1.  Bring pot of water to a boil, adding a splash of olive oil.
2.  Add pasta, stir, cook for 7 minutes stirring frequently to unstick pieces.
3.  Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.
4.  Place pesto in pot and stir in pasta.
5.  Split evenly between two plates and sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. cheese, pepper, garlic powder, 1 tomato, 1 chili pepper, and 1 basil leaf.

Notes:

*Pair with a low-ish calorie protein for a complete dinner meal.

*To be honest, this alone is not likely to fill you up (unless you have a remarkably small tank!).  But it gives you the chance to have some of what you really want (pasta!  pesto!  cheese!) and then supplement with a piece of fruit or vegetable (spinach is an easy, healthy and low-cal choice) and still stay under a respectable 400 calories.

*Kids can rinse the pasta, stir the pesto, or tear the basil.

FARRO FANDANGO

FARRO FANDANGO

*A heartier, vegetarian version of a Trader Joe's recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 bag Trader Joe's 10 minute farro (cooked according to package)
2 handfuls kale, chopped
3 Trader Joe's (or other) meatless Italian sausages
3 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 cup (2/3 large) onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
6 mushrooms, crumbled

Directions:

1.  Cook farro according to package, adding kale to the pot 4 minutes before end of cooking.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil or butter over medium-high heat in a saute pan.  Break up the sausages and cook until browned, adding an extra tablespoon oil or butter during cooking, stirring frequently.

3.  Remove sausage and set aside.  Heat last tablespoon oil or butter over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, mushrooms and apple to the pan, cooking and stirring until just starting to brown.  Add sausage, farro/kale, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and cook over low heat a few additional minutes.

Notes:

*For some reason, my kids actually ate this, kale and all.

*The hubby devoured it.

*It's even better the next day.

*If you insist, you could make this with regular chicken sausage...I'm sure it would be delicious, but it truly doesn't lose anything with the veggie sausage, so why not go veggie?  :)

*In case you're not familiar with farro, it's a slightly chewier, nuttier, more interesting version of rice.

*Ready in 15 minutes!