Taboulli (or Tabbouleh)

• 1 c dry bulghur wheat
• 1 and 1/2 c boiling water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 c fresh lemon or lime juice (I used lime)
• 1 heapng tsp crushed fresh garlic
• 1/2 tsp up to 1 Tbsp dried or fresh chopped mint
• fresh black pepper
• 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 packed cup freshly chopped parsley
• 1/2 to 1 c drained garbonzo beans (or 1 can)
• 1/2 c coarsely grated carrot
• 1/2 c chopped scallions
• 1 c diced cucumber
• 1 pkg feta cheese, crumbled
• Garnish with feta and olives (optional)

1.  Combine bulghur, boiling water and salt in a bowl.  Cover and let stand for 30 min to 3 hours (or until bulghur is tender).  You can let this sit overnight. Drain if there is water remaining.  (Usually all water is absorbed.)

2.  Add lemon or lime juice, garlic, olive oil, mint, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly and refrigerate 2-3 hours.

3.  Just before serving add the veggies, garbonzo beans and most of the feta.  Mix gently.  It works best to add the veggies to a quantity of the 'base bulghur" that you expect to eat at that time. 

4.  Garnish with feta cheese and olives.

Country Style Potato Leek Soup
with Kale and Carrot Ribbons

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4-5 pounds leeks
• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 5-1/4 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-3/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2-3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ribbons with a box grater/mandoline
• ½ bunch kale, stems removed, cut into chiffonade (ribbons)
• Salt and pepper

1. Cut off ends and tops of leeks, leaving white portion and about 3” of light green.  Slice in half (the long way, so you have half-moon shaped pieces), thinly slice halves crosswise into ribbons.  Place ribbons into pan filled with cold water, rinse thoroughly to remove sand; lift leek ribbons out into colander to drain.
2. Heat butter in soup pot over medium-low heat until foaming; stir in leaks, increase heat to medium, cover and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender but not mushy (do not brown). \
3. Sprinkle flour over leeks and stir to coat evenly; continue cooking until flour dissolves (about 2 minutes).  Increase heat to high, gradually add stock, stirring constantly.
4. Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, carrots and kale; bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium low; simmer for 7-10 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat and let stand until potatoes are tender and flavors meld, 10-15 minutes.
6. Discard bay leaf; season with salt and pepper to taste.

[If leeks have large desirable white and light green sections, use 4 pounds; if not, use 5 pounds.]

Curried Squash And Apple Bisque
(Based On Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, Ina Garten)

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 Tablespoons curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1-1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4-5 apples)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider

1. Peel squash, cut in half and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks.

2. Peel, quarter and core the apples; cut into chunks.

3. Warm the butter, olive oil, onions and curry powder in a large stockpot for 15-20 minutes, until onions are tender; stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

4. Add squash, apples, salt, pepper, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes until squash and apples are very soft. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in food processor until smooth.

5. Add apple cider to make soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and thick.

6. Check seasoning, adding more salt/pepper to taste.

NOTE: It would be very easy to turn this into a Vegan dish – simply use all olive oil instead of a combination of olive oil and butter!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad
(New York Times)

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, preferably red, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh hot chili, like jalapeño
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 cups cooked black beans, drained (canned are fine)
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put sweet potatoes and onions on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, toss to coat And spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on corners and are just tender inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; keep on pan until ready to mix with dressing.

2. Put chilies in a blender or mini food processor along with garlic, lime juice, remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Process until blended.

3. Put warm vegetables in a large bowl with beans and bell pepper; toss with dressing and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day.

Yield: 4 servings.

Cranberry Waldorf Salad

• 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
• 1-1/2 cups chopped sweet apple (red, or a combination of red and yellow)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped grapes (red or green)
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 Tablespoons white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 oz. vanilla yogurt

Combine all ingredients; toss to coat.  Cover and chill 2 hours. Serve to great acclaim!

Healthy Snacks

Texas Caviar

In a bowl, mix the following:

• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can black eyed peas
• 1 can corn

(Drain and rinse each can)

• Chop the following:
• 1 cup onion
• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup green/red/orange/yellow pepper (or combination)

Add to beans

Mix the dressing:

• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil

Add dressing to beans and veggies and let sit. The longer it sits, the better the taste.

Banana Splits

Cut one banana in half. (Each banana will be 2 servings) Cut each in half lengthwise.

In to the cut banana, place one scoop frozen yogurt-flavor of your choice

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon granola on top

Root Vegetable Recipes

ROASTED PARSNIPS AND CARROTS

• 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, more or  less
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, more or less
• 1 tablespoon melted butter, optional
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, more or less
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, more or less
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, (start with 1/4 teaspoon)

• 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg, more or less

Peel and rinse parsnips and carrots.   Cut parsnips and carrots into julienne slices.  Toss in the butter/oil mixture. (You can use all olive oil if you prefer.)

Preheat oven to 375°.  Spread coated vegetables onto 2 large baking sheet with sides.  Bake for 30-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender and nicely browned.

Transfer roasted vegetables back into mixing bowl.    Mix in zest, nutmeg and salt.

Or you can mix in the zest, nutmeg and salt during the last 15 minutes of roasting.

FINNISH STYLE TURNIPS

• 4 cups mashed turnips (about 4 turnips)-(see cooking directions
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus extra
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, or milk
• chopped, toasted pecans, optional

Peel and dice turnips. Place in medium pan and cover with water.  Bring to boil; cook 5 minutes and drain.  Return turnips to pan; cover with water again and repeat cooking, until they are soft, about 20 minutes.

Drain turnips and return to pan.  Add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mash with a potato masher--they can still have some texture.  Transfer to buttered baking dish.

In a small bowl, stir together cream or milk and bread crumbs. Stir in eggs until well combined.  Stir this into turnips. Sprinkle top with a bit of bread crumbs and cinnamon for color. Sprinkle with nuts if using.

Bake in preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes.  Serve warm.

SWEET POTATOES OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE WITH  PINEAPPLE

• 4 -6 cups mashed butternut squash or sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 15 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Combine squash or sweet potatoes, sugar, pineapple, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg.  Pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle with pecans. Cover.  Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes. 

CELERIAC, RUTABAGA & PEAR MASH

• 1 celeriac
• 1/2 rutabaga
• 1 large pear
• sweetenerr (honey, maple syrup, sugar, etc.), to your taste
• touch of cream, optional

For the celeriac: Rinse the celeriac and scrub if necessary to remove surface dirt.  Cut it in half the long way with a strong knife. With a paring knife, peel it and then cut into bite-size dices, trimming off any dark spots from the "knobby" part of the celeriac. Transfer to a 3-quart pot.
For the rutabaga: Peel with a paring knife. Cut in half the long way with a strong knife. Dice into bite-size pieces and transfer to pot.

Cover vegetables with water. Bring to boil and then simmer until soft, about 20 minutes.

Pear and core pear. Cut into bite-size pieces and add to pot....continue cooking about 5 more minutes, until soft. 

CRANBERRY-GLAZED BEETS

• 1 (15 oz) can sliced or diced beets
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cranberry juice or grape juice
• 1/3 cup raisins, optional

Drain the beets, reserving 1/4 cup juice; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, vinegar and salt; mix until smooth. Stir in beet juice and cranberry juice; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from the heat; stir in raisins and let stand for 5 minutes. Add beets; cook over low heat for 2 minutes or until heated through.

BEET AND JEILL-O SALAD

• 1 (16 oz) can diced beets, drain and rinse
• 1 (6 oz) pkg lemon gelatin powder (or equivalent sugar free)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 4 teaspoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 cup chopped, unpeeled apple

Drain beets; discard liquid. Rinse beets and drain.

Heat 2 cups water to boiling. Stir in jell-O and mix until jell-O is completely dissolved.  Add cold water, vinegar, onion, and horseradish. Chill until partially set. Stir in beets and apple. Portion into individual serving cups or a serving bowl. Chill until firm.

OVEN-ROASTED BEETS

• Beets that are about the same size
• olive oil
• S&P

Beets can be roasted whole or in wedges. They can be roasted peeled or unpeeled. Use a vegetable peeler of sharp knife to peel the beets. Peeling them under slowly will cut down on staining.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place beets in covered baking dish or large square of foil. Coat with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Close and seal foil to make a packet, or cover baking dish.

OVEN ROASTED CELERIAC

• 1 celeriac root
• olive oil
• salt and  pepper, to taste

Rinse the celeriac root off and scrub if necessary. Cut in half the long way with a strong knife.

With a paring knife, peel the celeriac. Then dice into bite size pieces, cutting out any dark spots from the top of the celeriac where it was more "knobby".

ROASTED GARLIC

• 4 large heads garlic, trimmed to expose the clove tips
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• salt, pepper

Roast either whole or by cloves......

Whole: Preheat oven to 350°.  Cut off top of bulb about ½' so that all or most of cloves are exposed. Place bulbs on a square of foil, large enough to loosely cover the bulb(s) or place in a snug baking dish. Drizzle ½ tsp olive oil over bulbs. Wait a few minutes, letting oil seep into cloves , then drizzle ½ tsp more olive oil over garlic.

Close and seal foil or cover dish  so that the bulbs are sealed, but still "loose". Place packet on a baking pan or cover dish and roast garlic about 40 minutes.

Carefully open  and pierce a clove with a sharp knife. If not real soft, give it another 5 minutes. If soft, leave container  open for bulbs to cool…..when cool enough to handle, take whole bulb and squeeze it from the bottom into a flat-bottomed bowl. Mash the softened cloves with a little salt, pepper and olive oil. Ready to use:  Spread on toasted baguette; mix with cream cheese or goat cheese; make garlic butter; mix into mayonnaise; mix into baked potatoes, etc.

For individual cloves, snip off the root end and place cloves on piece of foil or in a covered baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and mix to coat all cloves. Seal foil or cover dish and roast for about 15 minutes….test for softness. It's best to use large cloves, as smaller ones tend to burn.

PERFECT MASHED POTATOES

MASH THEM WHILE THEY'RE HOT!!

The secret is not the recipe, but the technique-and, most importantly, the heat

1-Choose russets. They are the driest, making fluffy potatoes and absorb lots of flavors

2-Cook large chunks of peeled potatoes in salted water just until soft. Overcooking yields water-logged, runny potatoes. Once cooked, drain well immediately and return to pot.

3-Mash potatoes with a potato masher over low heat. The potatoes should always be steaming hot.

4-Add hot milk to the potatoes. Stirring in cold milk can destroy hope of light and fluffy potatoes.

5-Mashed potatoes can be chilled and reheated later.

Reheat them in oven or microwave and avoid stirring until they are hot.

POTATOES CAN BE MASHED WITH A VARIETY OF ROOT VEGETABLES: PARSNIPS, RUTABAGA, SWEET POTATOE, CELERIAC.

OVEN FRIES

• 6 medium potatoes
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt*
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper*
• cooking spray
• *Note: Any favorite flavoring can be used.

Preheat oven to 400° degrees. In a large bowl, stir together oil, salt and pepper. Scrub potatoes and pat dry; don't peel. Cut each potato into lengthwise wedges, about 8  per potato. Add  potatoes to bowl and stir to coat with oil.

Coat a large jelly roll sheet or 9 by 13 pan with cooking sprayl and transfer potatoes to sheet; arrange in single layer. Bake 15 minutes; turn potaotes. Bake 10 minutes more, until tender and browned.

SWEET POTATO AND RUTABAGA MASH

• 2 sweet potatoes (about 2 poinds)
• 1/2 rutabaga (about 12/ pound)
• 2 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
• 1/4 cup butter (can reduce amt)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cut sweet potatoes and rutabaga into medium chunks. In large pot, bring potatoes and rutabaga in chicken broth to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until soft, 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain off and reserve some of the broth; just leave enough broth in the pot to cover the vegetablesabout half-way. Add butter, nutmeg, sat and pepper. Mash with a potato masher. Add more broth if needed . Serve warm.

ROASTING TURNIPS

• 4 small turnips
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• sprinkling of salt and pepper
• sugar, maple syrup or honey, optional

Preheat oven to 400°. Peel turnips with vegetable peeler or knife. Cut into 2-inch "fries" or 12/-inch cubes. Place in bowl and toss with oil-about 1/2 teaspoon oil per turnip.

Spread vegetables in 1 layer on a baking sheet or glass pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast about 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Look for browning on the edges, and testing tender with a fork. Time will vary depending on age of turnips; size they are cut and glass vs. metal baking pan.

When done taste a few pieces. If you want to take the "bitter" edge off of turnips, use a sprinkling of sugar, maple syrup or honey. ( I prefer sugar.)

ROASTING RUTABAGAS

• 1 medium rutabaga
• 1 teaspoon olive oil per cup of sliced or diced rutabaga
• salt and pepper to your taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Rutabagas can be very hard to cut, so I suggest first cutting it in half with a strong knife. Peel rutabaga with vegetable peeler or knife. Cut into 2-inch "fries" or 1/2-inch cubes. Place in bowl and toss with oil.
Spread onto a baking sheet or glass pan, large enough so that there is one layer of rutabagas. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast about 30 minutes, stirring each 10 minutes. Look for browning and testing tender with a fork. Time will vary depending on age of rutabaga, size it is cut and glass vs. metal baking pan.

When done, take a taste....if you want to mask the taste a bit, a sprinkling of sugar, or a drizzle of maple syrup should do the trick

FENNEL GRATIN

• Gratin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/4" slices
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 -5  fennel bulbs, trimmed, and cut into 1/4" slices
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Crumb Topping
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

In large skillet, saute onion to soft. Add fennel and garlic and continue sauteing, until fennel is slightly softened and beginning to brown, stirring frequently.

Stir in broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer until most of broth is absorbed, adding more if necessary, making sure that fennel is soft. Transfer fennel mixture to greased 1 1/2 quart baking pan.

Meanwhile, prepare topping: Melt butter in small skillet. Stir in bread crumbs to coat. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese. Spread bread crumb mixture over gratin. Bake in 350° oven until browned. Serve warm.

FENNEL WITH TOMATOES AND YUKON GOLDS

• 1 fennel bulb
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, or 1 shallot
• 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, optional

Preheat oven to 400° (or 350° if you have other goods in the oven). Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
To use the fennel, cut off the stems and fronds-save for salad garnish.

Cut off the hard base of the fennel and cut the bulb into very thin slices, or about 1-inch square pieces.
Transfer the fennel to prepared baking dish.

Core and thinly slice the tomatoes. Spread the slices over the fennel.

Sprinkle garlic or shallots over tomato.

Slice the scrubbed potatoes thinly and place over the tomatoes.

Pour broth over and around veggies. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Cover tightly and  bake for 30 minutes. Uncover sprinkle with parsley and bake for another 15-30 minutes, until potatoes and fennel are softened and potatoes begin to brown. (Cooking time will vary with oven temperature.)

HONEY ROASTED VEGGIES

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, halved and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup walnut halves, optional

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, stir honey and oil together and heat in microwave about 30 seconds, enough to warm liquids so they blend together well.

Add  veggies into the bowl as you cut them and stir to coat them with the honey/oil mixture. Stir nuts into mixture at this point.

Transfer veggies to a 3-quart baking dish and spread into 1 layer. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until veggies are browned at edges and tender when pierced with a knife, stirring about every 15 minutes. Total roasting time should be about 30-45 minutes.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS

• 2 large onions
• olive or canola oil
• 4 teaspoons sugar, more or less

Peel onion and slice or dice ionion into sizes you prefer (they will shrink a bit with cooking).

Heat oil in large pan. Add onions and cook on medium until very soft and turning brown, stirring often. Sprinkle in sugar, stirring to dissolve and mix into the onions. Cook untio onions are "sweetened" and somewhat brown and caramelized.

These can now be used to stir into mashed potatoes, cooked noodles, cooked vegetables, or whatever you can think of.

MUSTARD GLAZED SHALLOTS AND CARROTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 12 shallots
• 1 pound carrots
• coarse salt and ground pepper, optional

Preheat oven to 450°, with rack in the middle.
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar.

Trim the shallots and peel. Use whole, or cut into large pieces and add to bowl.
Trim carrots. If organic, scrub them; if not, peel the carrots. Cut into 2" pieces or whatever shape you prefer. Mix shallots and carrots into mustard mix to fully coat vegetables.

Spread in a single layer onto a large baking sheet, or 9x13 glass pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes until tender and browned, stirring after 20 minutes.

ROOT SOUP

• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potaotes
• 1/2 cup finely choppped leek or onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 -2 cups  chicken broth
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, optional

In 3-quart saucepan, bring carrots, sweet potatoes, leek or onion, garlic, and 1 1/2 cups chicken broth to boil. Reduce to simmer; cover and cook about 30 minutes, until carrots and sweet potatoes are tender. Transfer to blender and blend soup until smooth, or to the consistency that you like. Add more broth if you like (remembering that you'll be adding half and half).
Return soup to pan. Close to serving time, stir in half and half and tarragon, if using. Heat soup, but do not boil. Serve.
Note:  This is a revision of the Root Soup at County Clare. They use equal amounts of carrots and sweet  potatoes and  use whipping cream along with the broth (1/2 amt of cream to broth). They also add sugar.

Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing
(From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 2 acorn squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (divided)
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• ½ cup wild rice, rinsed and well-drained
• ½ cup brown rice
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• ½ cup celery (1 rib), chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground sage
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pecans on cookie sheet and toast in oven, watching carefully, until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Use a serrated knife to cut each squash in half crosswise.  Cut a small slice from bottom of each half to make it balance better. Scoop out seeds. Brush squash flesh with one tablespoon of olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place, cavity side down, in roasting pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes or until squash can be pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat remaining one tablespoon of olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in wild and brown rice and cook 1 minute.  Stir in vegetable broth or water and celery and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 45-50 minutes or until rice is tender.

Drain any remaining liquid. Stir in sage, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley, cranberries and reserved pecans, and combine. Fill cavity of each squash half with rice mixture and serve, placing any remaining stuffing in a serving bowl. 

(The stuffing itself can make a meal.)

Recipes Using Grains

Buckwheat Pancake Mix

• ½ cup buckwheat flour
• ¼ cup white whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup stoneground, whole grain cornmeal (medium or coarse grind)
• ¼ cup oat bran
• 1 tsp baking powder (alum free)

Mix together and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Plan on ¼ cup of mix per 6” pancake.

(This recipe can be easily multiplied.)

To make pancakes:

• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I use Stonyfield Organic)
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 cup pancake mix

Stir in milk to make batter to your preferred consistency
(¼ - ½ cup)--less milk for a cakey pancake, more for a
thinner pancake. (I only make one pancake at a time and
usually add 2 Tbsp milk.)

Cook on a lightly oiled griddle heated to medium heat, turning once.

This is great served with a dollop of butter and pure maple syrup. (Trader Joe's, Costco, or Sam's club have maple syrup for a reasonable price.)

Taboulleh with Quinoa

• 1 cup of quinoa (rinse well before using)
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• ½ cup chopped green onions (include the green portion)
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• ½ lb feta cheese, rinsed and crumbled
• ½ -1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Bring water to boil. Add rinsed quinoa and simmer for 15-18 minutes. When water has been absorbed, fluff quinoa lightly with a fork.  Let cool.

In small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper.  Mix together well.

In large bowl, combine chopped tomato, cucumber, green onions, green pepper, and cooled quinoa. Pour olive oil mix over mixture and toss gently to coat. Add crumbled feta and toss gently to distribute through salad. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Resources of Cooking with Grains

Books

These are a couple of my favorite cookbooks for cooking with whole grains (and other things, too):

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking – very comprehensive

Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe  by Mollie Katzen - I like all her cookbooks

Websites (click blue title for direct link to website)

wholegrainscouncil.org
wheatfoods.org
bobsredmill.com
wholegraingourmet.com
kashi.com
versagrain.com
www.kingarthurflour.com (check out the whole grain recipes)
www.lundberg.com (recipes for rice)
www.quinoa.net    (wesite for Ancient Harvest brand quinoa products.  Has information and recipes)

The following two sites include lots of information about our health in addition to some good recipes.

http://www.realage.com/recipefinder  (Lots of good recipes as well as other health related advice. Includes gluten-free recipes, too.)
http://www.aicr.org  [This is the website for the American Institute for Cancer Research.  They have a number of recipes (including some free pamphlets with good recipes).]

Other Recipes

Tofu Quiche

• 1 nine inch (unbaked) pie crust
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tomato, diced
• 8 oz. firm tofu
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c. skim milk

Saute onions with the garlic in a small amount of olive oil until tender. Cool.

On bottom of pie crust, layer onions and garlic, 1/2 shredded cheese, black beans, and tomatoes. 

In medium mixing bowl, mash tofu. Add eggs, milk and remaining cheese and mix well. Pour into pie crust. Sprinkle with paprika, cayenne pepper or your favorite seasoning before baking.

Bake at 325 deg. for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Soup Recipes

QUICK BLACK BEAN AND CORN SOUP

• 2 Tblsp. olive oil
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 3 (15-oz) cans of black beans, rinsed & drained, divided (2 cans, 1 can)
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 Tblsp. chile-garlic paste
• ¼ tsp. salt

Optional toppings:     

• sour cream/yogurt
• Green onions, chopped
• Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat soup pot over medium-high heat. Pour olive oil in pan and swirl to coat. Add corn to pan and sauté until lightly browned, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes).
2. Combine 2 cans of beans and broth in blender, process until smooth.
3. Add pureed beans, remaining can of beans, tomatoes, chile-garlic paste and salt to corn, stirring to combine. 
4. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally (beans tend to sink to bottom at first – stirring keeps them from sticking).
5. Serve with optional toppings.

Tomato Florentine Soup

There’s nothing better than tomato soup on a chilly day. You could open a can, but after trying this recipe, you may never walk down the soup aisle again!

Makes: 9 cups Total time: 50 minutes

• 1⁄2 cup chopped shallots
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup chopped garlic
• 1⁄4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1⁄4 cup dry white wine
• 2 cans whole tomatoes in juice (28 oz. each)

• 2 cups chicken broth or water

• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves

• 3 Tbsp. sugar

• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

• 1 bag fresh baby spinach, chopped (5 oz.)

• Salt and pepper to taste
• Croutons
• Crumbled blue cheese

1. Sweat shallots in oil in a large pot over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute.
2. Deglaze pan with wine; simmer until nearly evaporated. Add tomatoes, broth, and basil. Increase heat to medium-high; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer soup for 10 minutes. Purée soup with a hand blender (or in batches in a standard blender) until smooth. Return soup to the pot and bring it to a simmer.
3. Stir in sugar and vinegar. Just before serving, stir in spinach; season with salt and pepper. Garnish soup with croutons and blue cheese.

Nutrition Information
Per cup: 95 cal; 3g total fat (1g sat); 1mg chol; 539mg sodium; 15g total carbs (8g sugars); 1g fiber; 3g protein

Salmon Pesto salad

Boil up some bite-sized pasta, add some chopped green onions, shredded cooked salmon, fresh chopped cherry tomatoes, fresh blanched pea pods or peas, a few tablespoons of pesto, and some shredded parmesean cheese; mix it all up. Salmon can be flash roasted

Flash roasted salmon: Heat oven to 500, or as hot as it can go.  Place fish filet (or pieces) on foil-covered cookie sheet, season fish. Measure height of fillet:  1" height = 10 minutes in the oven. If the height is 1/2", cook for about 5 minutes.  

Bran Muffins Three Ways

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (or ¼ cup honey)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¾ cup milk (1 cup for Peanut Butter variation)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup NABISCO 100% Bran (or 1 cup wheat bran)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease 12 to 15 (2 1/2-inch) muffin-pan cups.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In small bowl, blend together egg, milk and oil; stir in NABIISCO 100% Bran; let stand'5 minutes. Add ingredients for desired flavor; mix until well combined. Stir into flour mixture just until blended; do not overmix.
3. Fill muffin-pan cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool. Makes 12 to 15 muffins.

Peanut Butter Bran Muffins
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey

Zucchini Bran Muffins
1/2 cup grated zucchini, squeezed dry 1
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Molasses-Cheddar Bran Muffins
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

From a Nabisco 100% Bran cereal box a long time ago

Printable: [doc] or [PDF]

Pumpkin Bran Muffins

Time: 20 min
Yield: 12 2½ inch muffins

Ingredients

• 1½ cups unprocessed oat bran (or wheat bran or a combination of oat & wheat bran)
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat, whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed pumpkin, cooked
• ½ cup skim milk
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

1. Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl; stir well.
2. Make a well in center of mixture.
3. Combine pumpkin and next three ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well.
4. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
5. Spoon into muffin pans coated with cooking spray, filling ¾ full.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from pans immediately; serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations

• Banana Oat Bran Muffins: Substitute ¾ cup mashed ripe banana for pumpkin.
• Apple-Oat Bran Muffins: Substitute 1/2 cup minced apple for pumpkin. Substitute apple pie spice for pumpkin pie spice.
• Add 1 Tsp ground cinnamon to dry ingredients.

Printable: [doc] or [PDF]

Easy Garden Frittata

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, grated
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced or shredded
• 3-4 scallions, chopped (optional)
• 8 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9” x 13” pan with oil
2. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the potatoes and vegetables; cook 5 minutes or until potatoes are browned, stirring occasionally.
4. In a bowl mix together the eggs, milk, and salt with wire whisk until well blended.
5. Transfer vegetables to oiled pan. Pour the eggs over potato mixture.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes more.
8. Let stand 5 minutes.
9. Cut into squares and serve.

Printable: [doc] or [PDF]

Hummus

Ingredients

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 15 oz can chick peas, drained. Save the liquid.
• ½ cup tahini
• Handful of minced parsley

Directions

1. In a food processor place the chick peas and about half the reserved liquid.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. 
3. Process until well blended, but not completely smooth.
4. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle parsley on top.

Printable: [doc] or [PDF]

HOLY SMOKES SALSA FRESCA (FRESH SALSA) RECIPE

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Place in clean jars with lids.  Wipe & decorate jars.
3. Keep chilled; should be served in 1-3 days.

Printable: [doc] or [PDF]

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1615 Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53213
Phone: (414) 774-0441     Fax: (414) 774-0989
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