Fresh Tomato/Tortilla Soup

Must be made with fresh tomatoes from the garden!

4 medium fresh tomatoes (1.5 lbs), quartered

1 medium onion, quartered

olive oil spray

6 (7 inch) corn tortillas

6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 TBSP chopped cilantro

1 TBSP ground cumin

1/2 TBSP chili powder

2 small bay leaves

salt to taste

1 small ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1/3 cup cheddar cheese (optional)

In a food processor, puree tomatoes and onions until smooth.  Finely coat the bottom of a sauce pan with olive oil spray.  Take 3 of the corn tortillas and shred them into bite size pieces, add them to the sauce pan with the garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes.  Add tomatoes and onion mixture.  Add chicken broth, tomato paste, cilantro, cumin, chili powder and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove and discard bay leaves.  Season with salt as needed.

While soup is cooking, preheat oven to 350.  Take the other 3 tortillas and cut them into strips, brush with olive oil.  Bake for 10-12 minutes shaking the pan occasionally until the strips are crispy.  Set aside.  

Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortillas strips, avocado and cheese.

Almond chocolate chip cookies

makes 24 mini cookies
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 11 minutes

ingredients:

• 3 TB sweetener of choice 
• 2 tb earth balance (or butter)
• 1 tb unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla  extract
• 1 1/3 C. almond meal/flour 
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 c chocolate chips (special dark)

directions:

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. in a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, mix Sweetener and butter until just combined.
3. add applesauce, egg, and vanilla and mix until just combined.
4. in a separate bowl, combine almond flour, protein powder, salt, and baking soda.
5. with mixer on low, slowly add almond flour mixture to the bowl. mix until just combined.
6. fold in chocolate chips.
7. drop 1” balls of batter onto a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat, cooking spray, or parchment paper. flatten cookies just slightly with a spatula because they will not spread much.
8. bake for 11 minutes.
9. let cool before eating, store extras in an airtight container.

Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• splash of milk
• cooking spray or olive oil
• 12 oz lean ground turkey or chicken
• 2-3 celery stalks, diced
• 2-3 carrots, peeled & diced or ~15 baby carrots, diced
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1.5 cups steamed green beans
• salt & pepper
• asiago or parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Directions:

put potatoes in a large pot. cover with water and bring to a boil. boil until potatoes are fork-tender.

meanwhile, dice your celery, carrots & onion.

sauté celery, carrots & onion in a well oiled pan over medium-high heat. 

add your ground turkey and cook thoroughly.  don’t be afraid to use some salt and pepper, either. 

add the tomato sauce and mix well to combine. make sure all your veggies are tender.. if they aren’t, keep cooking the mixture until they are.

mash your potatoes! add the splash of milk, salt and pepper so they taste perfect. the amount of the milk, salt and pepper is up to your taste buds.

time to assemble!

first, layer the meat mixture in an oven safe dish

then, add your green beans

next, add the mashed sweet potatoes

finally, grate some cheese over the top

cover it with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees.. or until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the pie is warmed throughout.

Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin or pureed squash
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• bread crumbs or crumbled crackers for topping (I used Blue Diamond Pecan Nut Thins)-Whatever g.f. crackers you like would work-
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350°
• Combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, & pumpkin in a food processor or blender and stir together with cooked quinoa and cheddar.  Salt & pepper to taste.  (I thought it was salty enough but did add pepper).
• Spread quinoa & cheese mixture  in a 9 x 9 baking dish, top with crumbled bread or crackers, & cover with foil.
• Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.

dark chocolate rice crispy treats

almond butter & dark chocolate crispy rice treats.

• 4 c. crispy brown rice cereal

• 1/3 c. + 1 T brown rice syrup

• 1/3 c. + 1 T almond butter – I used TJ’s roasted flax almond butter.

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• dark chocolate for dunking + drizzling – I used TJ’s semisweet (65% cocoa) callets.

In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, stir together syrup, almond butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture over cereal and stir vigorously until thoroughly combined. Spread into a lightly oiled 8×8 pan and press firmly. Let cool before cutting into 12 squares.

Melt chocolate – via a double-boiler or microwave – for dunking or drizzling. The more chocolate, the merrier!

Place chocolate-decorated squares on a baking sheet with parchment paper and place in the fridge to allow chocolate to harden. (I’ve kept my treats in the fridge in an air-tight container to avoid messy, melted chocolate.)

Makes 12 treats.

Pumpkin muffins

Grain, dairy and refined sugar-free, these light, protein-packed pumpkin muffins are satisfying, yet kind to your waistline.

Ingredients (8 muffins)

• 1 c. almond flour
• 1 c. canned pumpkin
• 1/4 c. almond butter 
• 1/4 c. honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend well. Scoop ~ 1/4 c. batter into a paper-lined muffin tin. Bake @ 350F for approximately 28 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.