Recipes
Salads & Dressings
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Mediterranean Fregola Salad
I had all of the ingredients for this salad in my pantry and fridge. I recently had placed an order for spices from Penzey’s and ordered a new spice, Pico Fruta. I wanted to try this out and...
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Orange Broccoli Farro Salad
This recipe is the perfect winter salad. The orange delivers an interesting unexpected freshness to bring all the flavors together. I love the extra nuts to add a very nice texture along with the...
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HOMINY SALAD
This is a delicious, colorful salad that takes very little time to put together. I love the corn flavor from the hominy in the salad to give this a very unique taste. Place the hominy in the...
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Strawberry Avocado Kale Salad
This is a very basic, quick and delicious strawberry avocado kale salad. The avocado will give you a nice creamy texture on top of the kale. You can substitute any type of nut you have on hand...
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Asian Cherry Peanut Salad
I purchased some freshly roasted Hatch chili peppers and beautiful dark red cherries and came up with this salad. I love the color, textures and fresh tastes in this salad.
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Good Salad
My husband came up with the title of this salad and I think it sums it up pretty well. This salad is a perfect combination of basic and complex flavors and textures that harmonize quite well...
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Strawberry Avocado Dressing
Strawberries and avocados make the perfect combination for a salad dressing. The avocado will make a nice creamy dressing thicker then vinaigrette. You can substitute balsamic vinegar too if you...
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Cranberry Toasted Almond Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This salad is a great alternative to chicken salad. The key is to save the chickpea liquid to make a creamier sandwich. My husband said this is his new favorite cold sandwich.
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Wheat Berry, Kale, Vegetable Salad
This salad is not only pretty but very delicious. There is a lot of texture and color going on in this dish. The dressing is just the perfect coating using apple cider vinegar with a few spices...
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Easy Kale Salad
This is a great salad that takes no time at all to prepare. If you like it sweeter just add a bit more honey.
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Tricolor Bean and Tomato Salad
My sister and I went to the farmer’s market in Des Moines and came home with some beautiful green, yellow and purple beans. I made this dish using the peppers along with some home grown tomatoes...
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Raspberry Purple Kale Salad
My favorite green these days is the purple kale that I can pick up at the CO-OP in Iowa City. The taste is amazing and almost has a slight floral odor when cooking it. This salad is very pretty...
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Pomegranate Orange Salad
This dish can be served as a wonderful side dish with any meal or simply for a nice light lunch. It would also be great to serve with a Christmas morning brunch.
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Spanish Rice Salad
We were invited over to our friend’s house for Mexican food and I made this salad to go along with the potato pinto bean enchiladas I took. This salad has wonderful flavor and is super delicious...
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Kale Clementine Pomegranate Salad
This salad has a wonderful explosion of flavor and textures. I love using red kale for this salad but you can substitute any other kale. A friend gave us a bottle of pomegranate syrup from her...
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Chickpea Rice Salad
I made this salad for lunch today and really liked the results. This salad can be made ahead of time or with leftover rice from the night before. This salad will fill you up thanks to the beans...
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Door County Cherry Apple Salad
There are few things better than Door County cherries. I use them in just about everything. This salad is super delicious and filled with lots of wonderful textures. If you don’t have any of...
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Orzo Salad
Orzo is wonderful pasta to use when you want a lighter meal. It also works very nicely with wheat berries.
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Beet, Carrot & Apple Slaw
This salad has a lot of crunch from using raw ingredients like the beets, carrots and celery. The dried fruit and nuts enhance the vegetables quite nicely with light vinaigrette.
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Detox Salad
I had this salad at the Bread Garden Market in Iowa City. The flavors are fantastic and fresh along with some nice textures from the different ingredients.
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Fiesta Salad
This would be my version of a healthier Chipotle veggie burrito bowl with no oil, no cheese and no sour cream. Delicious!
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Sunshine Salad
I first had toasted brown rice and sesames in Iowa City at Atlas. I had to know how this was done and immediately went home and made a batch of this. This adds wonderful texture and flavor...
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Asparagus Salad
This is my favorite way to eat asparagus and its quick easy and fantastic! My friend Bonnie gave us the most beautiful asparagus and we ate the entire bunch in one setting!
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Beets, Zucchini and Greens
This was a quick and easy way to use extra greens the need using up. The salad is pretty and very nutritious. Feel free to use any greens you have available and whatever type of balsamic vinegar...
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Kale Fruit Salad
Fruit salad and kale makes the perfect salad combination! No need for any sugar, there is plenty of sweetness from the fruit and the delicious vanilla infused balsamic vinegar. If you can’t find...
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Roasted Potato Salad
My husband prepared this for dinner along with a kale salad with fruit. This was delicious! The leftovers were tremendous; they were equally delicious heated or just cold.
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Cranberry Rice Salad
This salad is not only beautiful but super healthy! The bright red color from the cranberries and red chard stems along with the vivid green from the broccoli, basil and chard makes this the...
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Pomegranate Peach Fruit Salad
Dailyn came up with this idea for the fruit salad. She loves pomegranate seeds and thought they would be very pretty in this fruit salad.
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Kale Arugula Salad
I love using flavored vinegar to dress kale. If you can’t find vanilla balsamic vinegar, mix a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract with balsamic vinegar.
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Summer Succotash
This salad was the perfect side with bean tacos. The colors are wonderful and the lime juice and garlic is all the dressing this salad needs
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Strawberry Kale Salad
I have been using flavored vinegars for different salads and are they ever delicious. The vanilla and strawberry balsamic vinegars are perfect on top of kale. If you can’t find flavored vinegars...
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Potato Skillet with Salad
This was a fairly quick evening dinner that was put together in no time at all. The potatoes will remind you of the fried potatoes we all grew up on without the oil. I love using flavored...
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Kale, Cauliflower Salad
Cauliflower is the perfect compliment with kale and golden raisins. This is a delicious salad you could serve for any luncheon or entrée for dinner.
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Beet Greens & Purple Sticky Rice Salad
I made some roasted beets yesterday and the greens were too beautiful to throw away. I made this salad with items I already had in the refrigerator and pantry. I think this would also be good...
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Broccoli Rice Salad
I discovered whole grain red rice at Whole Foods. When cooked, it is the most beautiful rice ever. The hint of curry along with the sweet grapes, cranberries and crunch from the broccoli and...
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Wheat Berry Lima Bean Salad
There is a lot of texture going on in this salad. Using wheat berries, lima beans, broccoli, celery and kale create a wonderful arrangement of crunch and flavor. I am not a huge fan of lima...
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Rice Salad
This salad was basically made from ingredients in my pantry, other than the olives. This is a super easy and very tasty salad. This is a great salad to serve on a hot summer day.
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Zucchini Salad
This is a recipe I love to make in the summer time. It was adapted from a recipe I used from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook. The original recipe uses oil instead of water. Super great...
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Oma Katie’s Green Bean Salad
This recipe came from my brother in-law Jim’s mother. She brought this to every family get together. If you like it zesty you add more vinegar, if not use more water.
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Beets & Greens Salad
This salad can be prepared with only one type of kale or any type of mixture you prefer. I love the color of using different greens together. It takes a while to make this vinaigrette but it is...
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Orzo with Purple Sticky Rice
I made this for our Easter dinner. The flavors were nice and light with the lemon and oregano. This was excellent served cold the next day for lunch.
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Kale, Fruit and Walnut Salad
This is my husband’s new favorite version of kale salad. All of the colors of the fruits along with the kale are very pretty. This salad is loaded with wonderful textures for a nice crunchy...
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Jicama Bean Salad
I had several small packages of opened dried beans I needed to use and came up with this recipe. If you don’t want to take the time to use dried beans, you can substitute canned beans, just drain...
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Corona Bean Salad
I discovered these beans at Williams and Sonoma. These are the most delicious beans I have ever eaten! They are similar to butter beans but much larger. They are very expensive but worth the...
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Mushroom, Squash Cranberry Couscous Salad
If you don’t want to spend a lot of time fixing a delicious filling salad, make this dish. It helps that the mushrooms and the squash were already cut. I found the squash at the Walmart produce...
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Savory Kale Salad
This is a quick and easy salad that can be served as a side dish or a bigger serving and makes it an entrée.
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Olive Orzo Salad
Orzo makes any salad very light. The flavor comes out with the combination of the lemon, garlic, fresh basil and oregano. The vegetable stock and balsamic vinegar keep the salad very moist. ...
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Wheat Berry Medley Salad
I like to use different grains other then brown rice all of the time. Wheat berry is an excellent and easy grain to use for anything from breakfast to dinner.
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Heirloom Tomato Salad
I noticed a beautiful new shipment in the store today of heirloom tomatoes. I threw this salad together in no time. The sweetness of the honey with the Champagne vinegar was fantastic.
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Brussel Sprouts Salad
This salad I made for Thanksgiving. I think it is one of the prettiest and most delicious salads I have ever eaten. The combination of the Brussel sprouts, cranberries, pomegranate and pumpkin...
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Sweet Potato Orzo Salad
This salad I created with a combination of squash from a friend’s garden along with brussels sprouts and sweet potato orzo from the Farmer’s Market. The textures and tastes from the brussels...
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Green Orzo Salad
This salad is not only beautiful but light and delicious. The lemon and garlic really bring the salad to life.
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Hearty Roasted Beet & Orange Salad
The salad is full of textures and flavors. The orange balsamic vinaigrette over the beets and roasted potatoes is fabulous.
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Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette
I discovered how well balsamic vinegar and oranges work together when I had something similar on a salad at Bonfyre Grille in Madison. Super delicious!
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Sherry Vinaigrette
I use this vinaigrette quite often when I want a slightly sweet dressing. This is great on the kale salad as well as any thing with fruit.
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Yellow Eyed Pea Vegetable Salad
I had never heard of yellow eyed peas until I was visiting my sister in Georgia and she took me to a peach stand. The vendor was selling bags of yellow eyed peas. I knew I wanted to try them out...
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Orange, Cranberry Pistachio Wild Rice Salad
This is adapted from Ellie Krieger 2007 recipe. I made this and took this to a family gathering. One of my nephew's friends who is this big, burly kind of guy could not get enough of this stuff...
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Dijon Vinaigrette
This vinaigrette works well on salads and steamed veggies.
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Farro Salad
This salad was something I threw together for a quick dinner. I had left over carrots from the farmer’s market I wanted to use. The textures were really nice in this dish.
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Kale Salad
My sister was visiting from Georgia and I took her out for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in Iowa City, The Motley Cow. I had this dish for lunch, their dish had oil and cheese, so I...
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Green Bean Salad
This is something I threw together after going to the farmer’s market. It might sound strange with the orange balsamic vinaigrette but it is very delicious.
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Wheat Berry Vegetable Salad
This is a very hearty salad that is very satisfying. The smell of the rosemary with the garlic is heavenly.
Entrees
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Roasted Grape, Brussels Sprouts, Rice Stuffing with Squash
Roasting the grapes with the brussels sprouts and shallots creates a delicious caramelized dish. The pecans add some nice crunch and the squash adds the perfect side for a delicious fall meal.
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Mushroom Cauliflower Risotto
This is a super easy delicious risotto made with cauliflower rice. The cauliflower adds more nutritional value then traditional risottos with just rice. Also, the nutritional yeast adds a cheesy...
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Orange Broccoli Farro Salad
This recipe is the perfect winter salad. The orange delivers an interesting unexpected freshness to bring all the flavors together. I love the extra nuts to add a very nice texture along with the...
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Mexican Potato Casserole
My husband loves potatoes. I threw together this casserole dish in about ten minutes and we were very pleased with the results. Blending pinto beans with salsa, nutritional yeast and taco...
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Tomato Kale Miso Soup
This soup has a delicious savory taste due to the miso paste and the Savory Spice Blend. I found the recipe for the Savory Spice Blend from Dr. Greger’s HOW NOT TO DIE COOKBOOK. I love the fact...
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Thai Peanut Butter Curry
My sister in-law Mary, recommended the Majarajah curry powder from Penzey’s Spice. I came up with this recipe using this spice. I loved how the curry powder, fresh ginger and peanut butter made...
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Whole Grain Veggie Wraps
This is the perfect wrap to take on a picnic or for a light lunch or dinner on a hot summer day. These will keep a day or two in fridge.
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Ratatouille
This was my first attempt at making ratatouille and I was extremely pleased with the results! I really like the olives I added for an extra dimension to the flavor. The aroma was absolutely...
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Quick Harvest Grains Skillet Meal
One of our favorite go to meals last minutes is a skillet meal I make using Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend. When I am near a Trader Joe’s store I usually by about 10 packages of this because...
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Rustic Artichoke Sauce with Barley
This was a delicious dinner my husband and I put together for dinner tonight. Typically there would be garlic in a sauce like this but found we didn’t need it with the umami presented by the...
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Pinquitos, Tomatoes and Brown Rice
My nieces sent my husband and I a wonderful Christmas present a sampler pack of assorted Rancho Gordo specialty beans. I used the pink beans (Pinquitos) in this recipe along with a Japanese sweet...
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Hearty Mushroom Lentil & Mushroom Ragu + Pasta Adapted from the website: The Simple Veganista
This was a delicious recipe I found on Pinterest from The Simple Veganista that I adapted. I added crushed tomatoes, more broth and Trader Joe’s African Smoke seasoning for a smoky tasting ragu...
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Wheat Berry, Kale, Vegetable Salad
This salad is not only pretty but very delicious. There is a lot of texture and color going on in this dish. The dressing is just the perfect coating using apple cider vinegar with a few spices...
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Summer Vegetables with Rice
This dish took no time at all to prepare. It’s a great way to use some of the late remaining summer vegetables from the garden.
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Summer Polenta Casserole
This recipe was the result of all of the great summer produce from our garden and also some of our friends.
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Quick and Easy Skillet Casserole
One of my quick go to dinners usually is centered around a package of the Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend. I always start out sautéing an onion and then whatever vegetables I have on hand with...
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Breakfast Hash
I make this for my mom for breakfast usually once or twice a week. She normally wants bacon and eggs but she finds this dish very satisfying and doesn’t miss her usual breakfast. I serve this...
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Summer Casserole
My husband wanted me to make something with black beans and sweet potatoes. He went ahead and made the beans in the pressure cooker and also boiled the sweet potatoes while I made the rest. The...
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Fresh Herbed Pasta
My husband and I planted a bunch of fresh herbs in our garden. This dish is very light to serve on a hot summer day. The fresh herbs really made this a special dish.
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Curried Orzo & Quinoa with Spinach
I made this dish for Easter and was very pleased with the results. I saw a recipe at Stonewall kitchen site and just adapted it by adding different grains and the pasta. I actually made two...
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Vegetables with Rice
A few ingredients can make a very satisfying quick meal. I think this dish is a perfect example of how some rice and vegetables with a few spices really makes a nice dish.
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Lemon Thyme Risotto
This recipe is perfect way to use items in your pantry and freezer for a quick delicious dinner. If you don’t have the tri color grains just use what you have.
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Tostadas
I was craving tostadas and created this recipe for dinner. These tostadas are absolutely delicious and I guarantee you won’t miss any meat or cheese once you have tried this recipe. The Ezekiel...
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Quinoa, Lentil, Couscous Casserole
I really like all of the different grains used in this dish, quinoa, lentils and couscous. The wonderful textures of the grains along with the warm spices make this dish a wonderful evening...
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Stuffed Red Peppers
I developed this recipe after the inspirational dish I had at the Green Owl Café in Madison last weekend. There peppers were stuffed with quinoa and lentils which were very delicious.
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Linda’s Spicy Black Bean Sandwiches
Every February my family has a get together to celebrate all of the February birthdays. My sister Linda was making pulled pork sandwiches for everyone and created this dish for my husband and me...
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Sweet Potato Stir Fry
This dish went together fairly quickly for dinner and made excellent leftovers the next day. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand.
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Multi Grain Carrot Risotto
This was a quick and delicious dish I threw together from what I had in the pantry and refrigerator. I was worried there might have been too many carrots but I really loved the flavor of the...
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Veggie Bean Tacos
My husband and I love Mexican food and these have got to be the healthiest tacos period! We love these and could eat them a couple times a month. Feel free to top with fresh salsa if you like....
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Winter Vegetable Stew
Who says vegans can’t enjoy a nice hearty stew? This stew is so reminiscent of hearty beef stew without the meat. Delicious!
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Winter Stir Fry
I made this stir fry with Clementine oranges because I had some in the refrigerator. This could easily be done with pineapple and use pineapple juice instead of the pomegranate syrup.
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Kale Sandwich
I found this delicious whole wheat carrot bread and beautiful kale at the food co-op. The two combined together made a beautiful, tasty sandwich.
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Pepper Pasta
The cooked tomatoes along with fresh lemon and pasta water make a refreshing light coating for the pasta. This dish is great hot and just as good cold the next day for lunch.
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Rustic Pasta and Bean Stew
This would be perfect to serve on an early fall day. Feel free to substitute any dried white bean for the yellow eyed peas and also any whole wheat pasta shape you have in your pantry.
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Dal
I met Dr. Sung Chou at the Farms 2 Forks Immersion in Chicago in May. He sent me this recipe posted by Heather McDougall on her father’s newsletter (Dr. John McDougall). I made this recipe last...
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Curried Lentils & Vegetables with Rice
The sweet curry is incredibly delicious mixed in with some vegetables and lentils to make a wonderful stew. If you can’t find the Trader Joe’s brown rice medley feel free to substitute any whole...
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Red Lentil Stew
This was an adaptation of the recipe “Red Lentil Soup in a Flash” from Dr. Neal Barnard’s book POWER FOODS FOR THE BRAIN. I made the soup into a stew using tomato sauce to thicken and more added...
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Grains & Tomatoes
This is my go to meal when I am tired and very hungry. It literally takes only minutes to assemble and tastes great!
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
This is a super healthy version of traditional enchiladas. They are full of flavor and crunch!
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Savory Vegetables Over Polenta
My mother had been ill recently and the girls thought it was a good idea if we fixed dinner to take over for my parents. This is what we came up with, each girl prepared part of the dinner. ...
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Penne with Veggies and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
I decided to make a roasted red pepper sauce to serve with pasta and vegetables instead of the traditional tomato sauce. The smoked paprika is tremendous flavor with the roasted red peppers. ...
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Spaghetti and Veggies
This was a fun recipe to make and each of the girls had their own task in the prep work. Danika broke the spaghetti very meticulously, Dailyn chopped the onion and Brooklyn chopped the red pepper...
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Pinto Beans and Brown Rice
My husband and I worked together making this for dinner tonight. It was the kind of meal you can prepare ahead of time and then just let it slow cook until dinner time. This was perfect while we...
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Brown Rice Medley Risotto
My husband and I picked up this fantastic mix called Brown Rice Medley at Trader Joe’s. It is a mixture of long grain brown rice, black barley and daikon radish seeds. The texture is fantastic...
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Roasted Potato Salad
My husband prepared this for dinner along with a kale salad with fruit. This was delicious! The leftovers were tremendous; they were equally delicious heated or just cold.
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Cornucopia Boil
My husband made this for dinner on Sunday and this was wonderful! The texture of the chickpeas reminds me of the texture and taste of ham that my mother uses when making boiled dinner.
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Easy Kale & Kidney Beans over Rice
My husband and I put this together in less than 30 minutes! He prepared the rice and cut up the red peppers and kale while I did the rest. This is a very satisfying and delicious meal.
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Meatless Loaf
This is my version of meatloaf. It looks like meatloaf and tastes very similar to meat loaf only it’s healthier. If you don’t have chili sauce you can use catsup. This also is delicious as...
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Chard Spaghetti
This is a great way to get some greens added to basic marinara sauce. Very pretty as well.
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French bean Pasta
This quick and simple pasta dish is very healthy and colorful. The leftovers are pretty wonderful too the next day. If you can’t find the chiocciole pasta, any whole wheat pasta will work fine...
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Vegetable Stew over Lentils & Rice
My husband created this dish for supper one night when I went on a shopping trip with my Mom & sisters. I was actually surprised just how good this was. Usually his dishes can lack a bit of...
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Cranberry Rice Salad
This salad is not only beautiful but super healthy! The bright red color from the cranberries and red chard stems along with the vivid green from the broccoli, basil and chard makes this the...
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Loaded Veggie Pizza
This was my first attempt at making an entirely homemade pizza. I used a combination of 2 recipes for the crust; Wolfgang Puck’s Whole Wheat Pizza Crust & the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine from my...
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Autumn Bake
The sweetness of the pears, the tartness of the cranberries, the hearty acorn squash along with the crunchy pecans make this the perfect fall dish. As mentioned in the recipe, this can be served...
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Butternut Squash and Chard
This is a beautiful dish that would be perfect to serve for any dinner party. It is pretty, healthy and very satisfying. This would be perfect served with a cup of bean soup.
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Cherry Salsa Burger
This is a variation from the basic burger recipe Jeff Novick presented at the Chicago Immersion for Farms 2 Forks. I purchased the cherry salsa on vacation in Door County. This is a double batch...
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Lentil Stuffed Acorn Squash
I had some lentils and squash I needed to use up and came up with this recipe. The result was superb! This will be a great recipe to have on a cold brisk night.
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Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Tomatoes & Olives
This dish has a lot of flavor due to the peperoncini, garlic and black olive tapenade. Be sure to drain the tapenade then rinse off to get rid of the oil.
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Veggie Sandwiches
These sandwiches are perfect for a picnic or anytime you need to pack a lunch. The balsamic, garlic and oregano combination is the perfect trio for wonderful flavor for the sandwich. These can...
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Black Bean Sloppy Joes
This recipe was adapted from the August 2012 bon appétit magazine by Texas Pete recipes. This was super delicious. The original recipe had heavy cream and some extra hot sauce.
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Hummus Panini
My husband and I were lucky enough to go to the Farms 2 Forks Immersion in Chicago and saw a video of Rip Esselstyn making something similar to these. This is a very filling sandwich and you can...
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Double Bean Crunch Taco
These tacos offer both a soft and a crunch shell. They are very satisfying and filling!
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Tex Mex Polenta
This will be my go to dish when I am craving Tex Mex. Super quick, easy and delicious! I would feel very comfortable serving this to guests.
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Super Summer Pasta
I think this has got to be one of the best pasta dishes I have ever made! I was watching Lidia Bastianich’s cooking show on PBS and she repeated several times the pasta water is the key to making...
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Pineapple Bean Burger
We had a grill out over at my parent’s home for Mother’s Day. Everyone else grilled out hamburgers and hot dogs. We had these spectacular burgers. I grilled our pineapple on the top shelf of...
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Simply Delicious Marinara
I use to purchase marinara out of the jar quite a bit. Now I make my own all the time. This is pretty basic, I might change it up a bit with herbs or sometimes I will use puree tomatoes instead...
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Greens, Grains & Black-Eyed Peas
You can substitute canned black-eyed peas if you don’t want to make your own. The recipe goes together very fast. There are a lot of nice textures and interesting flavors with the toasted...
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Wheat Berry Orzo Vegetable Plate
I love to mix pasta with grains to get a wonderful texture. The light broth of vegetable stock with lemon, white wine and garlic is very delicious. This would be the perfect dish on a hot summer...
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Sweet Potato, Rice, Kale & Lentils
My husband created this dish while I was busy working. The flavors were fantastic as well as the beautiful colorful dish. There was plenty left over for lunches the next day
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Swiss Chard Pasta
The grocery store had the most beautiful, large leaf rainbow chard. I decided to make it with whole wheat pasta as an entrée. The chard was delicious along with the red wine vinegar and the heat...
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Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Feast
I made this along with the baked cabbage recipe for St. Patrick’s Day. It takes a while to bake everything but it was well worth the wait.
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Black lentils, beans and artichoke hearts with brown rice
This was a super quick dinner I threw together with items we had in the pantry and the freezer. Super good and colorful!
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Fresh Tomato & Green Bean Pasta
This was my husband’s creation. He made this for me when I was coming back from a nice weekend in Chicago with my mom and sisters. I was amazed at his cooking skills. Very delicious!
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Lemon Kale Farro
This dish has lots of wonderful things going on with it…texture from the farro, nutritious kale and cauliflower, zesty lemon with just a bit of heat from the red pepper flakes. Very delicious and...
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Zucchini, Mushroom Lasagna
This is my version of traditional lasagna. I used mushrooms for their meaty texture along with a few capers for an extra twist. Instead of the cheese used in traditional lasagna, I used a bean...
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Quick Potato Casserole
This is a quick and easy casserole that smells delicious. The only time it takes is the baking of the potatoes. Choose nice ripe potatoes with no green on them. You can also just use baking...
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Amaranth Stew
This was my first time cooking with amaranth. It is a very nutritious, small grain that can be toasted in a dry pan for added flavor. This stew is filled with exotic flavors and textures. I...
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Portabella Dinner
This meal comes together pretty quick. You end up with a nice combination, a portabella steak, pasta and veggies.
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Multigrain Risotto
I love risotto and this dish in my opinion is better than traditional risotto with rice, cheese and butter. All of the flavors really come through in this dish and using multi grains give it a...
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Quick and Easy Asparagus Dinner with Couscous
I love to make this dish when I am really tired and don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking dinner. This is an excellent way to throw something together quick. Although I use the couscous with...
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Baby Bok Choy & Black Beans over Millet
This is the first time using millet and baby bok choy. The baby bok choy is really easy to cook and has a wonderful buttery flavor. The millet is also easy to cook, and has a wonderful nutty...
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Farro Casserole with Red Cabbage
This was a dinner that came together pretty quickly with items already in my pantry and refrigerator. Both the farro and the cabbage have a wonderful texture and with the right ingredients a...
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Red Quinoa Medley
We discovered red quinoa at the grocery store and decided we needed to try it. The box said that “quinoa has higher protein content than any other grain and contains all eight essential amino...
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Sue’s Curried Chickpeas and Couscous
My friend Sue shared this recipe with my husband and I for dinner last night. This dish is beautiful, delicious and very satisfying. It was very enjoyable to share with good friends.
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Paprika Marinara
While visiting my mother-in-law in Florida, my husband and I had a wonderful dish at Costa d’Este restaurant The Wave Kitchen and Bar. The chef made this special dish for us and it was wonderful...
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Janet’s Black Bean Burger
These burgers I named after my Mom because I modeled them after the wonderful meatballs she makes. Basically all of the ingredients are the same except I substituted black beans for ground round...
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Rigatoni with chickpeas, yellow-eyed peas & spinach
Mixing a variety of beans with different textures can make a very appealing dish. I love the texture of the chickpeas with the buttery flavor of the yellow-eyed peas. The sundried tomatoes that...
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Shepherd’s Pie
This is a great recipe to fix when you are craving something very satisfying. I think this would be the perfect dish to make on a cold snowy day. My husband Joe said this could be a new favorite...
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Tomato Pasta Delight
This was a quick and easy dish we had for supper tonight. It literally took no more than 20 minutes to put together. My husband Joe came up with the name of the dish. Hope you like it.
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David’s Multi-Bean Burritos
My brother in-law David fixed these burritos for us while we were visiting in Florida. They were super good and easy to make. We really enjoyed them!
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Stuffed Baked Potatoes
This is a very easy recipe to throw together when you don’t have a lot of time. The thing that takes the most time is to cook the baked potato. You could microwave the potato if ...
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Spaghetti Squash Casserole
This casserole turned out not only to be very colorful, but a light and delicious dish. I love spaghetti squash for its texture and taste. I actually prefer it to regular pasta. It is great...
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Potato, Kale Enchiladas
This recipe I adapted from the cookbook Veganomicon. This is an excellent recipe for enchiladas and you won’t even miss the cheese. The creamy potatoes with the lime and garlic is a terrific...
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Southwestern Pinto Beans and Kale
This dish has a Southwestern flavor with the mixture of the cumin and the smoked paprika. With the combination of the whole grain brown rice and the beans, this meal has high quality protein with...
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Cornucopia Stew
This stew is very easy to assemble. It takes quite a bit of time to thoroughly cook the vegetables and that is why I use a higher oven temperature. This is the perfect dish to serve on a cold...
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Tamale Pie
This recipe was inspired from my Grandma Ann’s Tamale Pie. Mom made this many times for supper when we were growing up. The original recipe had ground beef; I substituted mushrooms and black...
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Squash, Mushroom, Kale Lasagna
I made this dish for my husband’s birthday. I had some squash and mushrooms I wanted to use up and he loves lasagna. I had not made lasagna since we gave up eating meat. This was delicious and...
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Roasted Vegetables over Polenta
The creamy polenta works well with the roasted vegetables. You could also serve this over couscous. This would be a very nice dish to serve on a cool fall evening.
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Stir Fry Primavera
This recipe is a mixture of two of my favorite dishes, pasta primavera and pineapple stir fry. However, this one is a healthier version with brown rice instead of the pasta and there is no oil in...
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Chickpea Salad Sandwich
My husband and I had this delicious sandwich in Door County at The Cookery. I have experimented a bit and this is very close to the sandwich we had minus the oil. We love this sandwich and have...
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Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This dish was a combination of organic sweet potatoes from the farmer's market and canned beans in the pantry. The result was quite delicious and colorful.
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Grilled Stuffed Portabellas
It’s easy to grill portabella mushrooms. Adding stuffing brings it to a whole new level.
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Olive, Tomato Pasta
When you are super tired and want a quick delicious meal, try this pasta dish. It is very easy and is ready in no time.
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Summer Primavera
This is my husbands favorite pasta dish in the summer time.
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Summer Vegetable Medley
The mixture of the roasted vegetables with the cooled beans and tomatoes has a wonderful effect.
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Veggie Kabobs
Grilling veggies is easy and makes a wonderful entrée. Each time I make these the recipe varies, I use whatever I have. I especially like pineapple added if I have in the kitchen.
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Summer Barbecue Beans on Brown Rice
I made these for the 4th July, one of my sisters friends said I need to bottle the recipe. I love adding the chocolate and molasses for a different twist to the beans.
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Vegetable Soup
Feel free to use whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator for this soup. I think all great vegetable soups have a tomato broth.
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Vegetable Kidney Bean Soup
I love the beautiful color of this soup. This is full of flavor and tastes just as good as when I use to make this with a beef soup bone.
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Tomato & Rice Soup
The brown rice added to this soup really helps fill you up. The honey helps break up the acidity of the tomatoes. I love this soup.
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Zesty Pasta Primavera
The abundant color in this primavera tells you just how healthy this dish is.
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Whole Wheat Penne with Vegetables & Lemon Zest
The picture doesn’t do this recipe justice. The fresh lemon zest on top of the veggies and pasta was very delicious.
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Vegetables over Couscous with Sundried Tomato Sauce
This is my very, very favorite dish!!! The roasted red peppers add a tremendous flavor along with the sundried tomatoes. I hope you like it as well.
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Vegan Goulash
This is my version of goulash with meat, beans and tomatoes. The pears, sweet potatoes, spinach and beans compliment each other very nicely.
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Tomato Bean Casserole
Beans are delicious, filling food. This casserole is very satisfying. Serve with a simple salad for a complete meal.
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Stuffed Acorn Squash
This was created just using things I had in the kitchen. They were super pretty and tasted really good.
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Skillet Casserole
I threw this together with the produce in the refrigerator and some canned beans. It was amazingly good.
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Red Beans & Brown Rice
This is a perfect dish to serve with cornbread. The smoked paprika gives a wonderful flavor to the dish.
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Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
This is a terrific hearty meal for a fall evening. Serve with some chunky applesauce to top it all off.
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Little Italy Penne
When you make this dish, the smell alone will remind you of your favorite Italian restaurant. This is super a good meal, serve with a salad and some hearty bread.
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Autumn Roasted Vegetables
This is one of the first dishes I made when switching over to a whole foods plant based diet. I knew if I could come up with dishes that tasted this good, it might not be so hard to switch after...
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Asian Noodles
This is a wonderful easy dish to make that is full of flavor. You can add some sugar snaps instead of the peas if you like.
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Boiled Dinner
Growing up my Mom always made boiled dinner with ham hocks and chunks of ham. This was one of my favorite summertime dishes. This dish has all of the same tastes as Mom’s classic dish, except...
Soups
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Mediterranean White Bean Soup
This soup was an unexpected delight by just using ingredients in my pantry and in my garden. All the herbs came from my garden as well as the Lacinato kale. This has wonderful flavor and aroma...
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Ayocote Negro Tomato Soup
My nieces Leslie and Sydney every year send me a beautiful gift box of Rancho Gordo Heirloom beans. Each pound of beans is truly unique and are not only pretty beans but the flavor of the beans...
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FALL SQUASH SOUP
Typical squash soup consists of squash, apples, onion, ginger and coconut milk. I wanted something more like a vegetable base soup with a little thicker broth. Blending part of the soup with...
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Tomato Kale Miso Soup
This soup has a delicious savory taste due to the miso paste and the Savory Spice Blend. I found the recipe for the Savory Spice Blend from Dr. Greger’s HOW NOT TO DIE COOKBOOK. I love the fact...
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Spicy Chunky Vegetable Chili
This is the perfect winter chili to warm you up on a day when the temperature falls below zero. I chopped the veggies in larger chunks, rather then dicing to make this a hearty chili. The key is...
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Gazpacho
I love gazpacho and especially when the tomatoes are in season. Roasting the tomatoes and red pepper improves the flavor of the soup. I prefer gazpacho cold but you can serve it at room...
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Three Bean Lentil Chili
This is a super easy and delicious chili to make with canned beans. The red lentils will give the texture of meat. You can also substitute pinto beans for the dark red kidney beans.
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Two Bean Calabrian Chili
I purchased some new spices at Penzeys in Des Moines this weekend. The roasted garlic has the most amazing wonderful aroma and I decided to use it along with some dried calabrian peppers. This...
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Carrot Rice Soup
My husband said this could be his new favorite soup. If you have fresh ginger, feel free to use that instead of the powdered. Also if you would like the soup even sweeter use two red peppers.
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Northern Bean Soup
I needed a big pot of soup to last throughout the weekend and made this. I don’t normally use frozen vegetables that much but they really came in handy and saved a lot of time. This soup was...
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Vegan Chili
I made this chili right before Christmas when my nieces were visiting from Georgia. We ate this for several days and loved every bite, not one bean was wasted. Feel free to use any green you...
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Sweet Potato, Squash Soup
My friend Jeanne shared this recipe which came from her daughter in-law. I didn’t have cannellini beans so I substituted dried northern beans. I love the combination of the sage, thyme and sweet...
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New Mexico Pinto Bean Soup Adapted from: Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure by Lorna J. Sass
My husband thought we should get a pressure cooker. Since we have never used one we thought we should follow a recipe. I slightly adapted this recipe by omitting oil, I didn’t have a chipotle...
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Rustic Pasta and Bean Stew
This would be perfect to serve on an early fall day. Feel free to substitute any dried white bean for the yellow eyed peas and also any whole wheat pasta shape you have in your pantry.
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Chickpea Vegetable Soup
Chickpeas add a very nice texture to this vegetable soup. Feel free to add additional spices like basil, oregano or thyme for extra flavor.
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Red Lentil Soup in a Flash
My husband made this soup and the recipe came from Dr. Neal Barnard’s new book, POWER FOODS FOR THE BRAIN. This book is a must read and has wonderful recipes in the back. This soup was excellent...
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
I had some extra sweet potatoes and thought they would make a nice addition to some black bean chili. Consider adding an extra jalapeno or more chili powder for even spicier flavor.
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Butter Bean Cauliflower Soup
This is a beautiful soup full of fiber and taste. Using leeks and shallots bring a sweeter taste then a typical onion. I served this soup with crusty whole wheat rolls and fruit.
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Tomato Florentine Soup with Orzo
Adding a whole bag of greens to any meal is a great idea. Adding spinach to this soup makes this soup not only delicious but very nutritious as well.
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Triple Tomato Soup
If you are looking for a super fantastic tomato soup, this is your recipe. The soup doesn’t take much time to make, and the result is better than any can version of soup you will find. The...
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Hearty Friendship Soup, Vegan Style
My friend Bonnie made this for me when I was under the weather. This soup was super delicious. I love the color and the wonderful flavors this soup has.
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Sweet Potato Bean Soup
This is a nice twist on typical bean soup by adding the sweet potato and bay leaf. Great flavor!
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Power Chili
I named this Power Chili because this recipe is filled with a bounty of healthy ingredients…black beans, red lentils, acorn squash, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and kale! Super...
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Chickpea Farro Soup
Chickpeas mixed with large lima beans create a nice creamy soup. The farro adds another level of texture that is very nice. This would be great on a cold winter evening served with cornbread.
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Lentil and Pasta, Soup or Stew
This recipe was adapted from chef Lidia Bastianich. I saw her make something similar to this on her cooking show. This was suppose to be a soup, but my husband added the whole box of shells and...
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Cabbage, Leek, Mushroom, Artichoke Soup
This soup is perfect for a light dinner. The lemons give a nice zesty flavor to this soup. There is nice texture with the artichokes and cabbage. If you don’t like a really lemony flavor you...
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Asparagus Black Lentil Soup
This asparagus soup is quite refreshing from the normal cream based asparagus soups. The black lentils almost give the broth the appearance of using beef broth.
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Lentil Bean Soup
This is a simple soup with wonderful flavors. I love the nutty wheat berries in the soup, something you don’t expect. If you want even more tomato flavor you can omit the can of water and add...
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Vegetable Barley Soup
This is a quick and easy soup to throw together and can be ready in less than an hour. Not bad for homemade soup. If you want lots of barley use 1 ½ cups, if you want less, use only 1 cup.
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Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup
I was craving black bean soup but didn’t have the time to soak the beans. I used can beans instead and the result was fantastic. Using the lime also gave the soup a nice fresh taste.
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White Bean Mushroom Soup
This was a new twist on traditional bean soup by adding the mushrooms and the tomatoes. Excellent to serve on a cold winter day.
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Curried Carrot Soup
This soup is very filling. In fact it would be perfect to serve in a small bowl prior to the main meal. The cayenne pepper is optional.
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Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Rice
Danika is our soup maker, she loves to make soup. We decided to make a soup that used lots of the ingredients she normally puts in soup when she cooks…tomatoes, red pepper, basil and water. She...
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Lentil Cauliflower Soup
This soup has beautiful colors, textures and tastes. The red wine vinegar brings all the flavors together quite nicely. Use red lentils if they are available, since they are the most nutritious...
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Cauliflower, Potato, Wild Rice Soup
This soup is a little heartier than regular potato soup. The wild rice gives the soup an interesting texture and nice color.
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Grains and Beans Medley Soup
I found this Bob’s Red Mill whole grains & beans by accident when I was looking for something else at the grocery store. I thought this would give an interesting texture and lots of fiber to...
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Vegetarian Chili
Chili is the perfect soup on any cool fall or winter day. This soup has all of the tastes of my Mom’s version without the meat. We were really pleased with the outcome and how easy this was to...
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Lentil Squash Soup
This soup turned out to be a delicious combination of items I had on stock in my kitchen. It has everything a good hearty soup should have…great taste and good texture. It is...
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Vegetable Soup
Feel free to use whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator for this soup. I think all great vegetable soups have a tomato broth.
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Vegetable Kidney Bean Soup
I love the beautiful color of this soup. This is full of flavor and tastes just as good as when I use to make this with a beef soup bone.
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Tomato & Rice Soup
The brown rice added to this soup really helps fill you up. The honey helps break up the acidity of the tomatoes. I love this soup.
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Bonnie's Squash Soup
My friend Bonnie created this delicious soup with squash from her garden. It was super good!
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Black Bean Soup
This is my husband’s favorite soup. It is very hearty and terrific on a cold blustery day. You can either presoak the beans the night before or do the quick soak method.
Appetizers
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Broccoli Hummus
This is recipe is a very simple way to sneak in some green veggies into your hummus. The pretty green color comes from cooked broccoli. The key to making this work is to make sure the broccoli...
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Peach Bruschetta
This is a nice twist to traditional bruschetta made with tomatoes. It has almost a dessert like taste. In order to save time, you can use a non dairy cream cheese like Kite Hill and then mix the...
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Gazpacho
I love gazpacho and especially when the tomatoes are in season. Roasting the tomatoes and red pepper improves the flavor of the soup. I prefer gazpacho cold but you can serve it at room...
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Polenta Toasts
This is a quick and easy appetizer that is great to serve anytime of year. No baking required! Simply top the polenta with any of your favorite toppings. The possibilities are endless!
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Roasted Red Pepper & Cherry Hummus
Adding dried cherries to roasted red pepper hummus adds a wonderful flavor to this traditional hummus.
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Spicy Quinoa Poppers
I have been teaching a cooking class along side the dietician at our local Hy-Vee store and a few other committee members. This past week our class was all about appetizers. Nancy, the dietician...
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Cherry Tomato Polenta Tartlets
This recipe I have been making for years from Bon Appétit magazine. I adapted this recipe by eliminating the olive oil, butter and Parmesan cheese. I love making these for special occasions...
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Broiled Cauliflower & Broccoli
Broiled cauliflower might not sound very appetizing but I assure you this recipe is definitely worth making. This is now my favorite way to eat cauliflower & broccoli, super healthy and super...
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Salsa Supreme
The best salsas are made with the ripest tomatoes you can find. This recipe can be stored for several days in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Sun Dried Tomato Bean Spread
This is actually the same spread I use in my lasagna. I love the sun dried tomatoes in this spread. Perfect to serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables or a nice spread on sandwiches.
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Vegan Caviar
This is my variation of Texas Caviar. Using kalamata and green olives add a nice twist. This is the perfect dish to take and share with others for parties with a bag of Baked Tostitos.
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Sweet Potato Chips with Pineapple Salsa
I found this awesome chip maker at Sur La Table, by mastrad, called TopChips. You can make fantastic, crunchy chips in the microwave in minutes without any grease. The chips are fantastic! The...
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Easy Black Bean, Corn Salsa
Adapted from RO*TEL website, recipe
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Ceviche Stuffed Potato Skins
I created as a savory appetizer for Christmas Eve night. They were a big hit with everyone!
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Black Bean Hummus
Black beans give a wonderful flavor and texture with the lime for this hummus.
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White Bean Dip
This is incredibly light and delicious. Very simple to make and works well with veggies or baked tortilla chips.
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Bruschetta
This is my favorite appetizer, and the entire family loves it as well. The traditional bruschetta has oil and parmesan cheese, but you will see there is plenty of flavor without either one.
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Bonnie’s Texas Caviar Recipe
My friend Bonnie introduced me to this terrific dip. We serve it with fat free Tostitos.
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Black & White Bean Dip
This is one of our favorite dips for serving with cut veggies.
Sides
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Holiday Rice Stuffing
This stuffing is quick and easy to make. I stuffed it in a hubbard squash which is one of the most delicious varieties of squash to eat. Feel free to make the rice a day or two ahead of time to...
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Gazpacho
I love gazpacho and especially when the tomatoes are in season. Roasting the tomatoes and red pepper improves the flavor of the soup. I prefer gazpacho cold but you can serve it at room...
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Cherry Acorn Squash
This is a nice alternative to the basic brown sugar squash recipes that is very popular. Cherry jam along with the Dijon mustard present a nice sweet and savory flavor.
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Tricolor Bean and Tomato Salad
My sister and I went to the farmer’s market in Des Moines and came home with some beautiful green, yellow and purple beans. I made this dish using the peppers along with some home grown tomatoes...
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Vegetables with Rice
A few ingredients can make a very satisfying quick meal. I think this dish is a perfect example of how some rice and vegetables with a few spices really makes a nice dish.
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Green Beans with Mustard Sauce
Green beans are delicious in so many ways but we really liked them with a nice Dijon mustard sauce!
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Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts
This is a super way to make brussels sprouts with out all of the fat you see in most recipes. They are very delicious served hot and I really loved them the next day served cold!
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Pomegranate Orange Salad
This dish can be served as a wonderful side dish with any meal or simply for a nice light lunch. It would also be great to serve with a Christmas morning brunch.
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Cherry Quinoa
I made this cherry quinoa as a side dish with lentils, kale and roasted beets. The cherry adds a wonderful flavor and brightness to the quinoa.
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Green Beans with Tomatoes
I use to make this recipe all of the time with olive oil. I found it was even better by omitting the oil. This recipe was adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook, a great cookbook I have had for...
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Asparagus Salad
This is my favorite way to eat asparagus and its quick easy and fantastic! My friend Bonnie gave us the most beautiful asparagus and we ate the entire bunch in one setting!
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Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
My husband helped me make this dish for Thanksgiving. Orange is the perfect flavoring on sweet potatoes. This will be a repeat for next year as well. I would save this for the holidays, due to...
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Cranberry Rice Salad
This salad is not only beautiful but super healthy! The bright red color from the cranberries and red chard stems along with the vivid green from the broccoli, basil and chard makes this the...
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Jalapeno Corn Bread
I made this to go with the Sweet Potato Bean Soup. My mom always served cornbread with bean soup.
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Autumn Bake
The sweetness of the pears, the tartness of the cranberries, the hearty acorn squash along with the crunchy pecans make this the perfect fall dish. As mentioned in the recipe, this can be served...
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Broiled Cauliflower & Broccoli
Broiled cauliflower might not sound very appetizing but I assure you this recipe is definitely worth making. This is now my favorite way to eat cauliflower & broccoli, super healthy and super...
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Pears with Kale
Some friends gave us some pears from their pear tree. I didn’t want them to go to waste so I thought I would try something different with them and cook them with onions and kale. This was...
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Applesauce
Dailyn thought it would be a good idea to make applesauce with some of the nice variety of apples that are available now. We used three different types of apples, use whatever types you have. ...
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Summer Succotash
This salad was the perfect side with bean tacos. The colors are wonderful and the lime juice and garlic is all the dressing this salad needs
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Potato Skillet with Salad
This was a fairly quick evening dinner that was put together in no time at all. The potatoes will remind you of the fried potatoes we all grew up on without the oil. I love using flavored...
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Baby Bok Choy
This is a quick and simple vegetable that makes the perfect side dish.
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Baked Cabbage
I made this along with the vegan St. Patrick’s Day feast. The purple and green is super colorful and festive looking.
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Chard with Oranges and Shallots
This recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman’s recipe in his cookbook “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian”. It is my favorite way to eat Swiss chard. This is a beautiful side dish to serve especially...
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Cherry Squash
This is a new twist on regular squash. You can substitute any flavor of jam you prefer.
You could also add some dried cherries that are plumped to the recipe if you like for more color. -
Stir Fry Broccoli
This dish is a nice change to basic steamed broccoli. The raisins, garlic along with the red pepper flakes are the perfect compliment to basic broccoli and stir fried only in water.
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Summer Barbecue Beans on Brown Rice
I made these for the 4th July, one of my sisters friends said I need to bottle the recipe. I love adding the chocolate and molasses for a different twist to the beans.
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Mexican Confetti Rice
This is a perfect side with Mexican food. Yes we eat Mexican food, without cheese and oil. Veggie fajitas are delicious with steamed veggies and fresh lime and salsa.
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Brussel Sprout, Pear, Garbanzo Bean Medley
This dish is the perfect dish for any fall gathering. The caramelized onions, and roasted Brussels spouts are perfect with the sweetness of the cooked pairs.
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Orange, Cranberry Pistachio Wild Rice Salad
This is adapted from Ellie Krieger 2007 recipe. I made this and took this to a family gathering. One of my nephew's friends who is this big, burly kind of guy could not get enough of this stuff...
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Stuffed Acorn Squash
This was created just using things I had in the kitchen. They were super pretty and tasted really good.
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Red Beans & Brown Rice
This is a perfect dish to serve with cornbread. The smoked paprika gives a wonderful flavor to the dish.
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Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
This is a terrific hearty meal for a fall evening. Serve with some chunky applesauce to top it all off.
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Autumn Roasted Vegetables
This is one of the first dishes I made when switching over to a whole foods plant based diet. I knew if I could come up with dishes that tasted this good, it might not be so hard to switch after...
Kid Friendly
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Whole Grain Veggie Wraps
This is the perfect wrap to take on a picnic or for a light lunch or dinner on a hot summer day. These will keep a day or two in fridge.
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Savory Vegetables Over Polenta
My mother had been ill recently and the girls thought it was a good idea if we fixed dinner to take over for my parents. This is what we came up with, each girl prepared part of the dinner. ...
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Spaghetti and Veggies
This was a fun recipe to make and each of the girls had their own task in the prep work. Danika broke the spaghetti very meticulously, Dailyn chopped the onion and Brooklyn chopped the red pepper...
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Chocolate No Bake Bars
This is a fun recipe to make that is very easy and super good. The girls really loved the bars with the chewy cherries and the unexpected crunch with the Grape-nuts.
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Caramel Hot Air Popcorn
Brooklyn wanted to make some caramel corn. This is my version without the butter or the oil. This is great for a special, occasional treat.
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Loaded Veggie Pizza
This was my first attempt at making an entirely homemade pizza. I used a combination of 2 recipes for the crust; Wolfgang Puck’s Whole Wheat Pizza Crust & the Hy-Vee Seasons magazine from my...
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Pomegranate Peach Fruit Salad
Dailyn came up with this idea for the fruit salad. She loves pomegranate seeds and thought they would be very pretty in this fruit salad.
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
The girls have wanted to make some healthy cookies. We decided to add pumpkin to oatmeal cookies and make them chewy with the cranberries and the pecans. They said this was their favorite cookie...
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Applesauce
Dailyn thought it would be a good idea to make applesauce with some of the nice variety of apples that are available now. We used three different types of apples, use whatever types you have. ...
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Quick and Easy Spaghetti
This is just another version of the spaghetti sauce that I make which the girls absolutely love. I let them help crush the garlic and cut the basil leaves.
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Banana, chocolate, strawberry popsicles
I used popsicle molds I found through Tupperware. The girls thought this was the perfect afterschool treat on a hot afternoon. Feel free to substitute any type of fruit you prefer.
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Fruit Smoothies
The girl’s favorite treat is a smoothie. This recipe is very quick and simple. Use whatever kind of fruit you have around the kitchen. The key is to keep bags of frozen fruits on hand in the...
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Banana, Chocolate, Pecan Oatmeal Muffins
This might be one of the girls all time favorites. They thought this would be the perfect healthy breakfast to make for when friends sleep over or to take when they go camping. We agreed this...
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Danika’s Party Popcorn Treats
Danika wanted to teach cooking class. We came up with this tasty little snack that is perfect for parties, movies or after school treats.
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Dailyn's Alien Snowmen & Fruit Kabobs
Dailyn came up with this recipe all by herself and wanted to teach cooking class to show us how to make these. This was a great recipe to get the kids involved and they had a lot of fun coming up...
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Breakfast Quesadillas
This is a great recipe the kids can make by themselves. They had so much fun assembling the quesadilla and then eating them afterwards.
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Susan’s Green Smoothies
My friend Susan shared this recipe with me. It is her favorite green smoothie recipe that her family loves. The girls absolutely loved these, although at first they were skeptical when we put...
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Lunchbox Burritos
The girls wanted to make something they could throw in their lunchboxes. We ended up deciding on making burritos. You can basically use anything in your pantry and refrigerator. The girls had...
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Curried Carrot Soup
This soup is very filling. In fact it would be perfect to serve in a small bowl prior to the main meal. The cayenne pepper is optional.
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Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Rice
Danika is our soup maker, she loves to make soup. We decided to make a soup that used lots of the ingredients she normally puts in soup when she cooks…tomatoes, red pepper, basil and water. She...
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Tiny Pumpkin Pies
Dailyn has been asking for weeks to make pumpkin pies. So I decided it would be fun for the girls to make mini pumpkin pies that they could decorate themselves. Dailyn thought they were very...
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Breakfast Pita Bites
All three of the girls gave this a 10 out of 10 score. They thought this would be perfect for a quick breakfast.
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Mini Pizzas
The girls wanted to make pizza. So we used whole wheat pita bread for the crust. Each of the girls got to make their own pizza and select their own toppings. Not only did they have fun making...
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Party Pinwheels
The pinwheels were suggested by Dailyn. I used garbanzo beans instead of cream cheese that is typically used in this appetizer. This appetizer both kids and adults will like and is very easy to...
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Healthy S’mores
The girls wanted a quick and easy snack for after school. We came up with these delicious bite size snacks that Dailyn named “healthy s’mores.” The pretzel chips have no oil, and with just a...
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Taco Salad
The girls gave this a 5 out of a 5 star rating. They had fun crushing the Tostitos for their salad. You can adjust the toppings for each child depending on what they like. Danika prefers no...
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Granola Bars
Everyone loves granola bars, adults and kids alike. My Aunt Jane gave me the original recipe, she got it from my cousin Jack. I substituted natural peanut butter for the butter and the girls...
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Fruity Pasta
I saw this fanciful fruit blend pasta at the farmer’s market and thought the kids would like this. The pasta is in fun colors, like purple, yellow and orange and actually tastes fruity. The...
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Banana Shakes
All kids like ice cream shakes and this one is super easy and has no dairy or sugar. Dailyn, Danika and Brooklyn gave this banana shake recipe a thumbs up!
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Finger Salad
This recipe was developed and named by Dailyn. She got a little help with creating the dressing. Her sister Danika and friend Brooklyn as well as my husband Joe enjoyed her creation.
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Cucumber Slices
This was a recipe my Granny Shorty served and we as kids loved this for a snack. As you can see in the picture the girls are big fans too. We still love these as adults.
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Creamy Green Macaroni
This was our first kid friendly session with the girls. Dailyn, Danika & Brooklyn were asked what their favorite vegetables were. They all responded: cauliflower, broccoli and carrots. So I...
Desserts
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Chocolate Chunk Brownies
This recipe is slightly adapted from the Forks Over Knives Fudgy Brownie recipe. These are very good and can be made without the Mega Chunks and walnuts if you prefer.
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Black Forest Frozen Dessert
This dessert is an adaptation from a recipe I found from Jane Esselstyn who was inspired originally by Chef A. J. I added the cherries and chocolate chips to make a black forest theme dessert. ...
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Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp
Rhubarb has always been a family favorite of ours. Both of my grandmothers and my mom always made rhubarb pie every year. This version is quite a bit healthier because there is no added sugar. ...
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Really Good Banana Bread
This banana bread is very simple to make and comes out just as moist as any other banana bread baked with butter. I have also replaced a half cup of oatmeal for a half cup of oat flour since I...
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Chocolate Shakes
This is a quick and delicious way to enjoy a chocolate shake. Start of with using one tablespoon of cocoa powder and if you want it more chocolate flavor add more.
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Black Bean Cherry Brownies
This recipe was adapted from Chef AJ’s Outrageous Healthy Brownies. I have made these countless times for gatherings and they are always a hit with my friends. You can substitute date syrup for...
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Cranberry Cherry Chocolate Tart
This recipe was adapted from the King Arthur recipe Cranberry Fudge Pie. The crust is different, I used dairy free chips and unsweetened almond milk instead of heavy cream and I added some dried...
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Red Velvet Cupcakes
I made these cupcakes for my husband’s birthday. These were the most delicious, moist cupcakes I have ever eaten!
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Carrot Cake Cupcakes
This recipe for the cupcakes came from the Happy Herbivore cookbook by Lindsay Nixon. I made these for a bridal shower for my niece. These are even better the next day. Yummy!
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Monster Cookies
These are one of the best cookies I have had in a very long time. There isn’t a lot of sugar in these cookies but with the chocolate chips and sweetness from the fruit, they are plenty sweet. ...
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Mango, Carrot, Pineapple Cake
My mother and I saw a recipe for a mango carrot cake in the Better Homes and Gardens, April 2013 edition. This is a modification of that recipe. We made this for Easter dinner. Feel free to...
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Chocolate No Bake Bars
This is a fun recipe to make that is very easy and super good. The girls really loved the bars with the chewy cherries and the unexpected crunch with the Grape-nuts.
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Caramel Apple Tart
This tart is a delicious reminder of the caramel apples Mom used to make that were covered with salted peanuts. It’s very quick and easy to prepare, basically in three easy steps. Refrigerate...
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
The girls have wanted to make some healthy cookies. We decided to add pumpkin to oatmeal cookies and make them chewy with the cranberries and the pecans. They said this was their favorite cookie...
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Baked Apples with Lemon Cashew Cream
I made these for dessert when we were invited over to some friend’s house. Everyone really liked these. We baked these while we ate dinner, so they were nice and hot when served.
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Double Berry Mango Dessert
I used a Yonanas machine to make this dessert. If you don’t have one you can use mango sorbet, raspberry sorbet and blackberry sorbet. I love the pretty colors and the crunchy bottom of this...
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Banana Split Frozen Dessert
This dessert was made using a Yonanas machine I purchased at Amazon.com. It can turn any frozen fruit into an ice cream consistency. The crust was adapted from The Optimal Diet Cookbook.
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Chocolate Cherry Almond Sorbet
This is super delicious and doesn’t require an ice cream freezer. However, this could be made quicker with an ice cream freezer. I personally think this is one of the richest tasting chocolate...
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Razzleberry Crisp
My friend use to serve this frozen Razzleberry pie that was super delicious and very high in saturated fat. This recipe delivers the entire flavor of that pie minus the saturated fat. This is a...
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats
These are the perfect treat when you are craving chocolate and peanut butter. They are very easy to make but can be a little sticky.
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Chocolate Cupcakes
I made these cupcakes for my sister’s birthday. She said they were awesome and I must agree. She said they were even better than the cupcakes made with eggs and oil. They were the best...
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Bonnie’s Dried Fruit and Almond Biscotti
This is the second year my friend Bonnie has come over during the holidays to bake these delicious biscotti. Feel free to use whatever type of flour and sugar you like. We used dried pears,...
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Bonnie’s Chocolate, Cherry, Almond Biscotti
This is the second year my friend Bonnie has come over during the holidays to bake these delicious biscotti. Feel free to use whatever type of flour and sugar you like.
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Cranberry Lemon Cookies
This cookie is crunchy, crispy, nutty, chewy and light. I love the lemon and cranberry flavor along with the crunchy nuts.
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Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
I made this cake for my birthday. There was not even one piece left, so I think it went over pretty well. If you are in the mood for chocolate cake this is a pretty healthy version of the...
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Pear Upside- Down Cake
This is a nice cake to serve in the fall time. The flavor of the cake is brought out by using apple cider, cinnamon and pears. The glaze which has almond extract is the perfect amount of...
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Baked Apple Supreme
This dessert will remind you of apple pie without the crust. The sweet apple taste along with the pecans will bring a smile to your face.
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Teresa’s Strawberry Sorbet
My sister Teresa was visiting from Denver and made this special treat for us after dinner. We loved the chunks of strawberries along with the lime. This is a perfect dessert on a hot day. We...
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Chunky Monkey Free Ice Cream
This recipe works perfect with very ripe bananas that are frozen. I peel ripe bananas and cut them in chunks placed in a Ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer so they are always ready. It's...
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Rhubarb Strawberry Crunch Cake
I used my Mom & Dad’s fresh picked rhubarb for this. They really enjoyed a piece of this cake.
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Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats
I was happy to develop a recipe for one of my favorite treats! OK, marshmallows is not a whole foods, but I have been able to omit the dairy, so for special occasions I think this is fine to eat...
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Peach, Blueberry Crunch Cake
Ripe peaches along with the blueberries are a great summertime treat in this cake.
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Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
This recipe is adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow 2011 recipe, Self magazine. I found this recipe by Gwyneth Paltrow but I made it even healthier than what she had. I substituted almond milk, pumpkin...
Breakfast
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Pumpkin Spiced Granola
This granola has all of the wonderful flavors of pumpkin pie yet it is not too sweet. The orange peel and cranberries had hints of citrus and sweetness to complement the pumpkin spice.
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Peanut Butter Granola
The peanut butter I use is just plain peanuts that you can grind yourself at the health section of the grocery store. Also if you love peanut butter and chocolate, omit the cranberries and and 1 1...
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Really Good Banana Bread
This banana bread is very simple to make and comes out just as moist as any other banana bread baked with butter. I have also replaced a half cup of oatmeal for a half cup of oat flour since I...
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Breakfast Hash
I make this for my mom for breakfast usually once or twice a week. She normally wants bacon and eggs but she finds this dish very satisfying and doesn’t miss her usual breakfast. I serve this...
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Oatmeal Potpourri
This recipe has become my favorite way to start the day. This makes a huge bowl of oatmeal and always keeps me feeling full until lunchtime. Make sure to keep the ground flaxseeds and the dried...
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Perfect Bowl of Oatmeal
This is pretty much how I start my day. When I eat this much for breakfast, I don’t find myself getting hungry before lunch. I guarantee you won’t miss the sugar, brown sugar or maple syrup on...
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Banana, Chocolate, Pecan Oatmeal Muffins
This might be one of the girls all time favorites. They thought this would be the perfect healthy breakfast to make for when friends sleep over or to take when they go camping. We agreed this...
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Breakfast Quesadillas
This is a great recipe the kids can make by themselves. They had so much fun assembling the quesadilla and then eating them afterwards.
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Granola with Orange Zest
This has a wonderful aroma when baking. The orange zest is heavenly! Note: you can use either pecans or natural almonds just make sure to slightly soak the almonds before baking.
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Cinnamon Granola
I make this recipe quite often, especially when family comes to visit. I serve this with fresh fruit and almond milk for the perfect breakfast.
