Quick and Easy Recipes

[LivWell]

Hey gang, got any quick and easy recipes you would like to share? I'll start. This is what I'm making this weekend:

Mediterranean Kale Salad
(This is a single serving. I usually make more.)

Ingredients

• Kale, 4 large leaves
• Peppers, sweet, red, sliced 1/2 cup
• Olive Oil, 1 1/2 teaspoon
• Fresh sqeezed lemon juice - 1/4 lemon
• Chopped or slivered almonds, 12 (or pine nuts)
• Salt, 1/4 teaspoon
• Black or Kalamata Olives, 6 jumbo, sliced

Directions
De-vein the kale. Roll up 2 kale leaves at a time and slice thinly to make thin, long strips. Place in a bowl with olive oil, salt and lemon juice. Toss or use your hands to coat the kale in the liquids. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together. Lasts for 3 days refrigerated, tastes better if left to marinate for a little bit.

[ActiveMSers]

Thanks LW! Here's another quickie.

Über Fast White Beans

1 Can Cannellini White Beans
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
Drain and rinse beans. Warm on stovetop. Season to taste. Drizzle with good quality olive oil. Optional: Add cup of arugula.

[LivWell]

It's cooking day at my house! Typically I will cook a good quantity of something that I can heat up after work rather than have to cook.

Today I am making this recipe for red lentils that I really like. It's a little labor intensive but worth the effort.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recip...-coconut-milk/

I also like to prepare a protein source for the week too. These dishes combined with a quick salad usually do the trick when I get home at the end of the day.

[AMFADVENTURES]

Guacamole

Best guacamole ever:

3 meaty avocados
1 medium tomato seeded and diced
1/2 medium white onion diced fine
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, mix and coarsely mash with a potato masher, serve cold.

[LivWell]

Simplicity

Yesterday I made this red lentil dahl .

Dahl is pretty tasty and very satisfying served over some brown rice or couscous. I went a little easy on the cayenne pepper and used about half of what this recipe called for.

I realize this is the second red lentil recipe I've posted so I promise I'll contribute something different next time. (Did I mention I love red lentils? They only take about 20 minutes to cook.).

I also steamed a bunch of zucchini and broccoli to have on hand. I will add broccoli to a salad along with avocado, sunflower nuts, and some red or yellow or orange bell pepper. A big colorful salad at the end of a hot day makes me happy.

[LivWell]

Here is a recipe in the June issue of Momentum that is delicious and easy to make.

Cold gazpacho soup

INGREDIENTS
6-8 Roma tomatoes, cored
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 handfuls spinach leaves
1 small unpeeled cucumber, with ends trimmed off
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and seeded
1/4 sweet yellow onion, peeled
1/2 teaspoon chili sauce or salsa
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Clean and chop all produce into large pieces and place into a blender. Pulse to get things started, then add seasonings and puree until the texture reaches the consistency you want. Gazpachos often taste better after the flavors are allowed to merge in the fridge for a few hours. Serve chilled in bowls or mugs. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.

Lots of great nutrition in this soup!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Tried this one from a friend of mine last night. Fantastic!

Sweet potato hash

• 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into bite size cubes
• 1/2 red bell pepper cut into bite size pieces.
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper cut into bite size pieces.
• 1/2 medium white onion cut into bite size pieces.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix the veggies together and lightly coat with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. An easy, nutritious and delicious side dish, really great for the endurance sports enthusiast.

[LivWell]

Sounds delicious! In her book, "Eat Smart Play Hard," Liz Applegate has sweet potatoes in the "Power Foods" section.

[LivWell]

Black Beans (this takes maybe 10 minutes)
- Rinse and drain a 15oz can of black beans
- In a sauce pan add a tablespoon or two of olive oil
- Seasonings: garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste).
- Warm the beans over medium heat
- Add 1/4-1/2 cup chopped arugula once the beans are warmed through

I'll add these to my standard, massive, dinner salad this week.

Earlier today I made a pot of brown rice and steamed a hunk of broccoli. Any combination of veggies and brown rice plus a protein and I've got a lunch ready to go to work this week.

I also pre-cut some bell peppers (red, yellow and orange), for toppings for my massive summer salad. I buy the bagged, pre-washed lettuces - there are a variety to choose from. I picked up some arugula this week as well as spring mix.

Now that Costa Rica has won and I've had my World Cup fix for the day, I'm off the couch and prepping my fish and chicken. Seasonings include olive oil, garlic powder, lemon pepper and cumin for the fish (cod this week). For the chicken I will use a favorite BBQ sauce touched up with some red pepper flakes, salsa and tamari.

[LivWell]

And now... the other broccoli


1 Small Cauliflower
3-4 small zucchini
6 Small Red Potatoes
1 15oz Can Garbanzo Beans
1 12.5 oz Jar Kashmiri Curry Indian Simmer Sauce (mild)

Who says slow cookers are only for the winter months?

What better way to avoid being in the kitchen on a hot summer day than to plug in the crock pot and come back later for scrumptious-ness!

Look at all the veggies you can cram into a single cooking implement and feed oneself a healthy meal!

Yesterday happened to be a day when the planets were aligned, my eyes were steady and I could safely wield my favorite cooking utensils. So I pulled my handy bar stool up to the kitchen counter and commenced to chopping.

Everything should end up in fork-friendly, bite-size chunks. No frills. Just cut it up.

Toss the entire conglomeration into the slow cooker. Add the simmer sauce and the liquid from the garbanzo beans. If it still looks a little lonely in there, you can add 1/2 to 1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable). My slow cooker doesn’t need or like much liquid - it seals up pretty tight - and I usually err on the side of adding too much.

Bam! Done! See ‘ya in 6 hours. Bring a bowl and a fork!

“Cauliflower ...is a member of that famous family of vegetable royalty, the Brassica family, which also includes cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Cauliflower contains indoles, a group of potent cancer fighters, and it also contains a phenomenal plant chemical called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is a potent antioxidant and stimulator of natural detoxifying enzymes in the body.” Quoted from “The Healthiest Meals on Earth” by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.

[HETA78]

I'm suddenly obsessed with beets. My favorite recipe is to quarter them (skins on) and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a little sea salt and rosemary. Wrap in a foil pack and roast on the grill. When tender, remove the skins and slice. Serve warm over salad greens (swiss chard is my preference) and drizzle with a vinegarette and some feta. Thank me later.

[LivWell]

Heta, the beets are amazing. You can’t go wrong with this method either. My “have you tried this” cooking guru daughter, has been encouraging me to try all kinds of veggies on the grill prepared just as you described.

And while I’m thinking about it, I want to give a shout-out to my toaster oven. This little device has taken up permanent residence next to the other occupants on the kitchen counter. No small accomplishment ‘cause that means I’m using it - often.

Today a hunk of marinated meat will go into it, wrapped in foil. If I had to use my regular oven at 425 degrees on a summer day--well, I just wouldn’t. But the toaster oven packs a punch in the heat management arena. Mine also came with a pizza stone so a personal size pizza is more often on the menu.

And I have to tell you, I made some seared ahi tuna on Friday. Talk about quick, simple and delicious. Seasoning is not exotic, basically salt and pepper. Heat a generous tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan (some recipes also include butter). Gently place the tuna steak in the oil and cook at medium-high to high heat 1-1/2 min each side for rare.

It has been my experience, if ahi is overcooked it ends up on the dry side. This portion was about an inch-and-a-half, almost 2 inches thick and I didn't rush to get it out of the pan. I served it up with a fresh salad and a cold beer.

Cheers!

[AMFADVENTURES]

My wife fixed a fantastic salad dish the other day that's well worth passing along.

Start with a couple of slices of tomato as a base, alternate 3 or 4 thin slices of avocado and mozzarella on top and drizzle with a good quality balsamic vinegar. Simple and delicious.

For dairy free, I suspect tofu would work in place of the cheese.

[LivWell]

That sounds really delicious! I've got to try this one!

[havingfun]

Recipes

Fry bell peppers and onion in olive oil. Be generous with the olive oil.
When soft, add cans of your favorite beans. I use black beans, pinto beans and kidney beans.
Add chili powder and hot sauce to taste.
Top with guacamole or your favorite topping
Makes enough bean soup for several meals.

I love the recipes on OhSheGlows.com. Some are easier than others. My meat eating family liked the recipes I tried from it.