Xocolatl (SHOCK-o-lat) Energy Balls

From Scott Jurek's book Eat and Run

1/2 cup raw cacao nibs (I've used powdered cocoa, just add extra coconut oil.)
1/2 cup raw cashews  (almonds also work)
8 medium dates, pitted
1 tsp mesquite powder (I have never used this)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp raw vanilla powder or extract
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more, if you want a good kick)
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid consistency)

Combine all the ingredients, except the coconut oil, in a food processor and process for 3 to 5 minutes.  (My Ninja is my BEST FRIEND for this recipe!)  Chop until you have a fine consistency.  Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.  Add the coconut oil and stir until well combined.  Form into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container.  The balls will keep for two weeks, refrigerated.

(I always double this recipe.)

Quinoa Salad

3 C. cooked quinoa (=1 c. raw rinsed and cooked in 2 c. water)
I cook quinoa in our rice cooker. It’s easy-peasy that way let cool
add 1 can black beans (drained)
1 c. white corn (drained…I use frozen white corn)
1 c. grape tomatoes (sliced in half)
1/2 red pepper (chopped)
red or green onion (to taste)
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
I like to add avocado chunks too because I LOVE avocado

Dressing:
2 tbs. balsamic vinegar (my favorite)
1 tbs. olive oil
1/4 c. lime juice
a little pinch of sugar
Mix it all together and eat it up.

Santa Fe Veggie Quesadillas

1 (12 inch) flour tortilla
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
1/2 cup whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup black beans, drained
1 chopped green onion

Directions

Prepare a lightly oiled large skillet over medium heat. Place the tortilla in the skillet and flip it once to ensure an even coating of oil on both sides.
Allow the tortilla to heat on one side for 1 minute. Beginning at the center of the tortilla, evenly spread the cheese blend until the tortilla's entire surface is covered. Top the cheese with corn, red bell pepper, black beans and green onion. When the cheese is completely melted, carefully slide the tortilla from the pan onto a cutting board. Slice into 8 wedges and serve warm.

from allrecipes.com

Pasta Primavera

1/2 lb asparagus trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb. green beans trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 orange sweet peppers cut into 1/4 in. strips
1 lb angel hair spagetti
3/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2
3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes halved
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add asparagus and green beans; cook 4 minutes. Add peppers and cook 1 more minute. Scoop out vegetables with large slotted spoon and rinse under cold water

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to directions

While pasta is cooking place 1/2 and 1/2, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan and bring to simmer. Add Parmesan cheese.

Heat a large skillet over med-high. add olive oil and garlic. cook for about 2 min. Add veggies and tomatoes. cook until heated through. Spoon this into the pasta pot. Add the 1/2 and 1/2 mixture into the pasta. Gently stir everything together and add the parsley.

Let stand for about 5 min.

Ratatouille Bake

courtesy of : Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups peeled and diced eggplant
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C); spray a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the garlic, onion, and eggplant with the garlic until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Cook the frozen ravioli as directed on the package; drain. Spread the cooked ravioli in a layer into the bottom of the prepared baking dish; spoon the hot vegetables over the ravioli. Sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

This is an awesome recipe!!

Broccoli Calzones

From Everyday Food

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Flour, for rolling dough
2 packages (1 pound each) balls fresh or frozen pizza dough, thawed if frozen
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded (6 ounces) part-skim mozzarella cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Prepared tomato sauce, optional

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion; cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broccoli, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Form calzones: Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, stretch each piece out, first to a 3-by-4-inch oval, then stretch again, this time to a 6-by-8-inch oval. (Let dough rest a few minutes if too elastic to work with.)
3. Stir cheeses into cooled broccoli mixture; season generously with salt and pepper. Assemble calzones: Spread a rounded 1/2 cup broccoli mixture over half of each piece of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border; fold over to form a half-moon. Press edges to seal. With a paring knife, cut 2 slits in the top of each calzone.
4. Using a wide metal spatula with a thin blade, transfer calzones to 2 baking sheets lined with parchment or waxed paper; reshape if needed.
5. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce, if desired.

**I did not have ricotta cheese, so I added something that has a somewhat similar texture: pureed white beans! I figured it would add some more protein to the dish. You didn't even notice that they were in there because of all the other cheeses. These were so yummy. We dipped them in marinara sauce. YUM!

Chili Relleno

*4 Poblano Peppers
*3 eggs
*2 T Flour
*3 oz cheddar (slice or shred)
*3 oz monterey jack (slice or shred)
*Oil for frying
*toothpicks
*latex gloves

Separate whites from eggs. Beat whites to stiff peaks, quickly beat in flour, then fold in yolks. Refrigerate batter while prepping the peppers.
Heat oil in a skillet 1-3 inches deep.
Wash outside of peppers, then dry. Wear the latex gloves (or suffer the way I'm doing now). Slit on side lengthwise. Cut seeds from stem (keeping stem attached to peppers). Fill the peppers with the cheese. Slide the toothpicks across the peppers to close up the opening. You'll need 3-4 toothpicks for each pepper.
Dip the peppers in the batter, making sure they're covered. Slide peppers into oil, cook until golden brown. If the batter slid off the exposed side, and you have extra, carefully spoon some additional onto the peppers. Flip with tongs. Cook the bottom until golden.
Remove from oil and set on paper towels to collect spare oil until ready to serve.

Serve with Quick Cooked Salsa, Frijoles Negro, and rice.

I used the Chevy's Fresh Mex cookbook as my inspiration. But they don't used canned goods and I had to use what I had at hand. Also, Chevy's said to dredge the peppers with flour before dipping in the batter. This didn't work out, it created a dry layer that allowed the batter to slip off of the pepper. I actually had tremendous success with the method described above. It was my intention to mix some salsa into the rice, but I make compromises to feed my toddler, so I just used brown basmati with butter and salt.

To time the cooking, I started the rice, cooked all onions needed for meal. Reserved 1/2 onions for the beans. Made the salsa. Transfered the salsa to a covered dish. Made the beans in the salsa pop without rinsing it out (extra flavor). Then made the Chili Relleno last. The rice was done at the same time as the peppers.

quick cook salsa
frijoles negro

Quick Cooked Salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced
1 pinch salt
1 clove garlic minced
3/4 carton cherry tomatoes
1 can diced chili peppers
1 can tomato paste
1 can water
1 t ground pepper
1 T chili powder
1 t ground cumin

Add olive oil to small saucepan. Add onions and salt and cook until soft. Add garlic and tomatoes then cook until tomatoes split open. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook until simmering.

Frijoles Negro

2 cans black beans
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 T olive oil
4 slices turkey bacon diced
1 t black pepper
1 T chilli powder
1 t cumin
1 pinch salt
Additional olive oil or water

Cook onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Drain beans. Add remaining ingredients (except extra olive oil/water). Cook until sizzly. Puree with hand blender. Leave it chunky if you like it that way. Thin with olive oil or water to desired consistency.

Andrea's Mediterranean Layer Dip

• Hummus
• Greek Yogurt
• Diced roasted red pepper
• Chopped Fresh Spinach
• Kalamati Olives
• Feta Cheese
• Pita Chips
  

Spread hummus on a platter in a 1/2 inch layer.  Follow with a
layer of Greek Yogurt.  Then layer rest of ingredients (except
for the pita chips).  Scoop with the pita chips.

It's still yummy if you scoop the leftovers (what? Leftovers!?)
into a bowl and the layers get mixed up a bit.

This recipe shamelessly stolen from Andrea Kibalo.  I didn't
watch her make it, so the recipe is copied from what I saw on
my plate and may contain inaccuracies.

Baked Penne with Corn, Zucchini, and Basil

Ingredients:

Kosher salt, to taste

1/2 lb. penne

6 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed

Kernels cut from 2 ears of corn

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 zucchini, about 2 lb. total, cut into half-moons

1/2 yellow onion, diced

4 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 Tbs. sliced garlic

1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 Tbs. tomato paste

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated

2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400ºF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold running water. Set aside. In a 12-inch nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the corn, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside. Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Working in batches, add the zucchini, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the corn. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Set the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, 1 tsp. salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to form a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced and the sauce is fairly thick, about 3 minutes more. Add the pasta, tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine. Transfer to the fry pan and sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 8.

Source: Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Does anyone have any good recommendations to sub white wine?

Lentil Tacos

Ingredients:

1 cup onions, diced

1/4 cup celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup brown lentils, dry

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup water or vegetable broth

3 tablespoons dried black currants or raisins, minced

1 cup salsa, plus additional for topping

8 6-inch corn tortillas

shredded lettuce

chopped tomatoes

shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

In a large frying pan over medium heat, sauted onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir in the lentils, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for one minute. Add the broth and raisins. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (add more water or broth as needed). Remove the lid and cook an additional 10 minutes (until lentils are thick), stirring often. Fold in the salsa. Wrap the tortillas in a damp white cotton towel and microwave on high for one minute. Spoon the lentil mixture among the tortillas. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.

Serves four.

Per Serving:

Calories: 390

Fat: 6 g

Carbs: 69 g

Protein: 18 g

Source: Runner's World

Easy Potato Soup

1 1/2 lb of potatoes peeled and diced
1 med. onion chopped
1/4 cup of celery
1 can of chicken broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 1/2 c milk
1 tablespoon. butter


combine: potatoes, onion, celery, chick. broth, bouillon cubes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, Cover reduce heat cook until potatoes are tender. Stir in milk and butter.

Put 1/2 of soup in blender until smooth, add it back to the rest of the soup.

Super easy, fast, and yummy!

Chunky Vegetarian Chili

1 tbs. olive oil
1 medium green pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cans Mexican style tomatoes (undrained)
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 can of corn drained
2 1/2 cups of water
1 cup uncooked rice
2 tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin

Heat oil in saucepan, add green pepper, onion and garlic cook until tender. Add rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes.

I used diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers for some extra spice. I also used quick cook brown rice. Top with cheddar cheese or sour cream. Enjoy!

(You can also substitute quinoa for the rice.)

Black Bean Tortilla Pie

serves 6
prep time: 25 minutes
total time: 1 hour

4 flour tortillas
1 T. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer or 1 1/2 c. water (I used water)
10 oz. frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim the tortillas, if necessary, to fit into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the beans and beer or water to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium; simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Fit a tortilla in the bottom of the springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 c. cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 c. cheese on the top layer. Bake until hot and the cheese is melted, 20-25 minutes. Unmold the pie; sprinkle with scallions if desired. Slice into wedges, and serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Source: Everyday Food Great Food Fast

Curried Quinoa

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 T. oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/2 green chile, finely chopped
1 heaping tsp. tumeric
1 heaping tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 3/4 c. water
1/2 c. frozen peas (I used peas/carrots mix, but you could add any vegetable)

1. Rinse quinoa well with cold water.
2. Put oil in saucepan or skillet that has a lid. Saute onions on medium high for a few minutes.
3. Add ginger, chile, and quinoa
4. Cook for one minute stirring constantly. White spiral will form around quinoa as it cooks
5. Add tumeric, coriander, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for one minute stirring constantly
6. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes
7. Add peas. Cover and cook 5 minutes, or until peas are soft and water is absorbed.
8. Fluff with fork and serve. Makes about 6 servings

If anyone else has any quinoa recipes, please post them. It's loaded with protein and so easy to make, I want some more ideas! I am especially interested in adding this to my food storage since it's a good meat replacer. On the subject, does anyone have any recipes using TVP?

Tomato Phyllo Pie

(I got this recipe from the newspaper while I was in Utah. It was so easy and so delicious!)

Editor's note: Served with a salad, this fresh simple tart makes a great vegetarian meal. You can use any size phyllo sheets and adjust the toppings accordingly. We used 14-by-18-inch sheets and rolled the rim making a 9-by-13-inch tart.

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 phyllo sheets
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3 medium red and orange tomatoes, sliced (I used about 4 Roma)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Combine butter and garlic. Place 1 phyllo sheet on pan. Brush with butter mixture. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and butter mixture.
3. Sprinkle phyllo with mozzarella to within 2 1/2 inches of the edges, top with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with feta cheese adn basil. Roll phyllo edges to form rim. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until phyllo is crisp and cheese is melted. Serves 6.

Cuban Black Bean Patties with Pineapple Rice

Rice:
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice (I used about 2 cups cooked brown rice)
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup diced fresh (or canned) pineapple
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Patties:
1 (15 oz) can black beans rinsed and drained, divided
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cooking spray
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

To prepare rice, cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place rice in a large bowl. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pineapple; sauté 4 minutes or just until pineapple begins to brown. Add pineapple mixture, cilantro, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to rice in bowl; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels.

To prepare patties, place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; partially mash with a fork. Place 1/2 cup remaining beans and egg white in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. Add bean puree to mashed beans in bowl, and stir until combined. Add cheese and onion to bean mixture; stir until combined. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.
Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Spoon about 1/2 cup rice onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 patty and 1 tablespoon sour cream.

This recipe is on my friend Lindy's recipe blog. It is so easy and delicious that I just had to pass it on. We like to top the burgers with avocado (or guacamole) and salsa, along with the sour cream.

Thai Veggie Stir Fry

3 T oil

3 garlic cloves

(a little ginger root, if you want)

1/4 c slice onions

1/4 c bean sprouts

1/4 c sugar peas/snow peas

1/4 c sliced carrots

1/4 c sliced red bell pepper

1/4 c broccoli flowerets

1/4 c cauliflower flowerets

1/4 c sliced mushrooms

(basically whatever vegetables you have on hand.)

2 T fish sauce

2 T oyster sauce

2 T sugar

1/4 t. white pepper

1. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat, then add the oil and garlic. (If you wanted to add any meat or tofu, add it now. Cook until done.)

2. Add the sauces and pepper. Stir to combine

3. Add the vegetables all at once. Stir to cover with sauce (about 30 seconds).

4. Reduce heat to medium and cook slowly for a further 2 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp but tender. Serve with rice.

**The sauce combination of fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper is a BASIC recipe for practically every Thai style stir fry. You can use any vegetables you want. In this picture, I used 2 cups chopped collard green, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and 1/2 cup carrots. (Basically what I had in the fridge.)

Lentils du Puy with Roasted Carrots and Beets

5 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 small beets peeled and diced
1 large carrot peeled and diced
4 shallots peeled and halved
12 oz lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 1/4 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
2 sprigs fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups boiling water
3 T sherry wine vinegar
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a 5-quart dutch oven, comvine 3 T of the oil, the beets, carrot, and shallots, stirring to coat the vegetables. Bake, uncovered, until the vegetables begin to color, about 30 minutes.

Stir in lentils, salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, and water. Cover and bake until the lentils are tender and all the water has been absorbed, about 1 hour. Remove the parsley and thyme sprigs; discard. Stir in the vinegar, chopped parsley, and the remaining 2 T of olive oil and serve.