I’ve had avocado toast before, but this is a new and better spin on what most people think of. In this recipe, the avocado is the main ingredient. Top it with an egg, lettuce, tomato, onion, and breakfast is served.
Butternut Squash & Chickpea Curry
My garden did really well last summer. As a result, I have had an abundance of butternut squash that I’ve needed to use. Recently, I stumbled onto this recipe that proved to be a hit with a group of folks I had for an herbal workshop. It was so attractive in the dish, how could it not be tasty too? Eat the rainbow…this dish checks that off! Enjoy!
Lentil and Sausage Soup
Lions Mane "Crab" Cakes
Mushrooms have moved up in the culinary space with their many uses! Mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, and lions mane are showing up at farmer’s markets, restaurants, and even perhaps your kitchen table!
At a recent stroll through a farmer’s market, I was captivated by the wonderful display of medicine that lay before my eyes! Since COVID, I’ve battled off and on with brain fog. I have found lions mane mushrooms to really be a supportive ally in this regard.
Pasta with Sausage & Tomato Skillet
As a recovering vegetarian, I'm super picky about what meats I will consume. Not all meat is the same. While I try to eat local, I have found a wonderful company who has sustainable practices and is free of the “Big 8” allergens. Let me just say…yum! If you want to know more about this company, you can find out more here.
With tomato season here, I’m looking for ways to use these wonderful fruits. This recipe is super fast and easy especially on a work night. Don’t forget the parmesan cheese!
Chorizo & Zucchini
I don’t know about you, but one zucchini plant can yield more product than I can deal with. As a result, I end up both giving it away and looking for creative ways to use it.
Recently, I stumbled across this combination and with with a few “tweaks” it ended up being a dish my guests kept coming back for!
Rooty Salad
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Simple Carrot Salad
How often are you eating a salad? While summer is a natural time to enjoy them, consuming vegetables, especially root vegetables help the body’s hormones stay regulated…all year long.
Carrots (Daucus carota) provide more than just vitamin A and are found in a variety of colors: yellow, white, orange, red, and purple.
Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup
One of the best things about homesteading is the bounty of garden goodness that seemingly comes in all at once! Sometimes it's necessary to get creative with what to do with a lot of the same vegetable. For months, I’ve been waiting for my first red tomato, and now I’m picking a basket full each day.
Hardy Spring Salad
When fresh greens come, they really come! Not complain’….just say’n. For me, I so enjoy a fresh salad on a warm spring day. Having picked a bucket full of spinach and kale, I needed to find ways to use them. After all, who wants the fruits of their labor to go into the compost? Not me!
The inspiration for this salad came while out and about and stopping for some dinner. Eating out is a treat, especially if I really enjoy the experience and the food. Many times, I try to duplicate it once I’m home because I enjoyed it so much I wanted to have those flavors again. This recipe is definitely different, but delicious, nevertheless. Let me know if you like it.
Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
Nothing says childhood more than tomato soup. It was my favorite growing up, however, it was soup of a can. That paired with a gilled cheese sandwich made me smile. While soup from a can is convenient, it’s loaded with a lot of sodium, and is really not as healthy as the label claims. Preparing homemade soup can seem overwhelming with the abundance of ingredients, however, I promise it’s really easy….and fun. Here is a take on a flavorful soup that can be started in the morning before work and then enjoy it as soon as you get home from work.
Afghan Pumpkin
I have a friend who live is a large city where ethic foods are more commonly found. Often she stops by an Afghan place that makes the most delicious pumpkin. When I think of pumpkin, I think of halloween carving and pies at Thanksgiving. It’s been an eye-opening experience to try pumpkin in any form. I will admit, I cheated in this recipe and used butternut squash as it was what I had on hand. The next time I make it, I’ll turn up the heat just a bit by adding a few more jalapeños.
Lentil & Butternut Squash Soup
Lentils are a staple in my house. As a vegetarian, lentils provide me with a good source of protein and fiber that my body needs. This is soup season, and I’m loving it. Warm and nourishing, soups can be a side or the main event. This recipe calls for butternut squash, which is loaded with nutrients, as well as, fresh spinach that added at the end. Feel free to leave it a little chunky or blend it until it’s to the consistency you wish.
Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup
Sometimes time is of the essence, or maybe you just haven’t been to the grocery store lately. Either way, this is an easy soup that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Black beans are a rich source of potassium, folate, along with dietary fiber. They also contain a good amount of protein that keeps the body feeling fuller longer. I’ve made this soup many times when I’m busy working at home and wanting something to warm my tummy.
Rich Butternut Squash Soup
Nothing says fall like butternut squash. The best part of these tasty vegetables is how hardy they are. I remember a few years ago growing butternut squash in my little garden. I harvested at least two dozen and were able to enjoy them over the winter months. This particular squash is a great source of Vitamin A, plus Vitamins C & E along with essential minerals. Vitamin A is involved in immune function, vision, reproduction, and cellular communication. Vitamin A also supports cell growth, playing a critical role in the normal formation and maintenance of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.
Pumpkin Energy Bites
Sugar is sugar is sugar. However, there are some sugars that are a bit more nutritive that others. Those from a natural source or from plants that have not been highly processed. Maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar are some that have nutritive values. Xylitol is a wonder substitute in baking/cooking, with a glycemic index of 7. In the Paleo diet, both honey and maple sugar are allowed, while white sugar is a definite no, no. In these energy bites, maple sugar is used for the sweetener, but honey could be substituted. What I like about these energy bites, is they hold together well without being super sticky. I used a flax/chia seed mixture, since that’s what I had on hand.
Chickpea Tikka Masala
Can I just say, “Oh my gosh?” It was probably over 10 years ago that I first tried Indian food. Let’s just say I wasn’t well versed in ethic cultures or their food. Since that moment in time, I’ve been hooked. As a matter of fact, I would say that Indian is one of my favorite go to foods. Lately, i’ve had a desire to prepare Indian cuisine, and I’ve search and tried quite a few recipes.
Recently, I had guests and decided to serve a few Indian dishes. Of the three I served, this one stole the show. Frankly, I think it’s the heavy cream combined with the spices that give this dish an A+ . Everyone agreed this is a keeper. I found there to be a lot of sauce, which I like. But if you prefer less sauce, just add more chickpeas.
Pumpkin Muffins (Paleo)
Lentil, Quinoa & Black Bean Tostada
It was one of those days. I got home late from work, hungry and unprepared for dinner. On the way home, I was trying to think of all the food options. Remembering I had about a cup of the left overs from the previous recipe….Quinoa and Black Bean Bowl, I decided to add a few items and make a new dish. Before I new it, I was sitting down to a nice meal in less than 30 minutes. Another reason to love leftovers. Add just a pinch of creativity, and something new emerges. No leftovers, no worries. You can still enjoy the dish.