Breakfast
Dabney Vaccaro
Avocado Toast--the real deal

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.

Avocado Toast--the real deal
Main
Dabney Vaccaro
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!

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Curry
Soup
Dabney Vaccaro
Lentil and Sausage Soup

Looking through my recipe blog, you may notice how many different soups there are. Soups are a great way to get nutrition into the body.  I run cold, so consuming these warm bowls of deliciousness makes me feel good. Be sure to check out where I buy

Lentil and Sausage Soup
Main
Dabney Vaccaro
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.

Lions Mane "Crab" Cakes
Main
Dabney Vaccaro
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!

Pasta with Sausage & Tomato Skillet

snack

Pumpkin Energy Bites

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.

No Bake Energy Bites

Here is a great snack when you need an extra boost!  I first made these when I was trying to quit my sugar addiction. The original recipe calls for chocolate chips, but this version omits that ingredient. Honestly, I don't miss them. They seem sweet enough with the honey.

I have the luxury of purchasing local honey.  Mud-E-Acres is only a mile from my house and the honey is wonderful!   If you have the opportunity to acquire local honey at your farmer's market, consider doing so.  Benefits of local honey include:

  • allergy protection
  • vitamins and minerals
  • antioxidents

Flax seeds are packed full of nutrition.  A good source of protein and fiber, it's best to use ground flax seed. It's easier for the body to digest. The whole seed will pass through the body without all the nutritional benefits.  Chia seeds is a strange little beast that has been gaining popularity in diet circles. It's also packed with protein and fiber, as well as selenium, which may help to prevent heart disease and cancer.

No Baked Energy Bites

  • 1 cup dry oatmeal
  • 2/3 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup ground flax seed
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 TBLS chia seeds
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Stir all ingredients together and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll into 1- inch balls and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

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