fruit tart filling

Blend in a blender until you reach the desired consistency.  Pour into a nutty-crust, and decorate with seasonal fruits.  Freeze or chill until set.

1.5 cups mango
1/2 cup coconut
2 bananas
1/2 avocado

raw energy balls

This is a great snack to take with you on a long hike or a long day at work. You can also add one to your child’s lunchbox for a sweet, nutritious treat.

1 cup raw almonds (or walnuts)
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
¼ cup raisins

¼ cup raw almond butter

 

spice it up with any of these:
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamom

¼ tsp chai spice

¼ tsp cacao 

shredded organic coconut

In a food processor fitted with the “s” blade grind the almonds/nuts until finely ground. Add the dates, raisins, and spices. Grind to a fine meal. Add the almond butter, process again until thoroughly mixed.

Form into balls and roll in shredded coconut. Store in a sealed container on the counter for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.

Glory to The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook
 

taco mock-meat

 

1 cup walnuts (soaked & rinsed)
10 sundried tomatoes (soaked for at least 1-2 hrs)
1 large Portabella mushroom (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder (add more to taste)
1/8 tsp cayenne powder (add more to taste)
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 tablespoons oil (flax/olive)
juice of 1 lime

Place everything into your food processor (with an S blade) and pulse several times, using a spatula to scrape the sides every so often, until you reach your desired consistency.  I like a little bit of chunkiness to the mixture.  Empty into a bowl and squeeze lime juice on top.  Enjoy as a taco wrap or as a spread.  

spinach pear salad

spinach greens
red onion, sliced extra thin
pear, thin slices
pomegranate seeds

vinaigrette dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tb honey
3 Tb apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

make separate plates/bowls to serve, only 1 tsp of dressing needed!

mushroom veggie burgers

Now - don't freak out!! These mushroom patties might not look appetizing in this picture - but they are SO good! See the finished product below! They are SO yummy!!

cashews+walnuts+almonds, chopped (about 1 cup total)
3-4 cups mushrooms, diced
1 med white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup rice, brown or white (cooked)
1 T soy sauce

Your choice of seasonings:
fresh cilantro, chopped
oregano
Italian seasoning
Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper to taste
bread crumbs (if needed to hold things together)

In a large skillet, toast the nuts until slightly browned. Blend the toasted nuts until fine, and set aside. Dice the mushrooms & onions well, and saute in the same skillet until browned, and the water is cooked off. Blend the *mushrooms/onions in a large blender along with the garlic and any seasonings you choose (from above). Combine blended mixture with toasted nuts and rice in a large bowl. Combine well. Add bread crumbs until you can form nice patties without them falling apart. Grill in a skillet (or on your BBQ!!) until toasted brown and enjoy with all your favorite fixings!

*I am sure you could experiment with any extras that you might want to add to this burger - like grilled peppers, chick peas, or any other veggie combo into the blender too.

lentil soup

1 T butter
2 T oil
1 onion
4-8 cloves garlic
1.5 cups lentils (dry, any color, rinsed & sorted)
6 cups water (approximate) or chicken/vegetable broth
1 T salt
3-4 stalks celery
2 small potatoes
2 carrots
Optional: squash, tomatoes, 
Spices (to taste): curry powder, coriander, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper (about 1 tsp each)
1/8 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper


Melt butter/oil in your pot (or slow cooker), add onions & garlic. Saute until translucent. Add lentils and 3 cups of water. Simmer for about 20 minutes until soft. Add the rest of your ingredients, chopped fine. Simmer until veggies are tender. Puree most of the soup in a blender, but save some to add back for chunky texture. Yum!!  Add the juice of 1 lime for some extra flavor.  Top with avocado too!  
*Lentils are high in protein, iron, fiber and even manganese. Who knew? The fiber in lentils can also lower your cholesterol!

tofu peanut stir fry

This is a great way to eat tofu for the first time - its a bit crunchy, yet still soft. This is such a quick, inexpensive meal - and tastes great! Prepare all your ingredients first, and then begin to cook. You will need a large wok & lid. Serve over noodles or steamed rice.

1 tsp vegetable oil
your favorite chopped veggies (a wok-ful)
(we used onion, cauliflower, carrots, celery, squash, & cabbage since that was in my fridge)
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
hot water to steam veggies in wok

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cornstarch
salt & pepper to taste
1 block firm tofu, drained and cubed (about 14 oz)
1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup peanut sauce
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add onions, garlic & ginger first until cooked thru. Season with salt & pepper. Add denser veggies first (carrots, cauliflower, celery), allowing to cook before you add the softer veggies (squash, cabbage, etc) and cook until tender. I sometimes add water during this stage to help the veggies "steam" in the wok. The water cooks off. You don't want to over cook the cabbage, while waiting for the carrots to get tender. Remove vegetables from skillet, and set aside.

Whisk eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt & pepper. Dip tofu cubes first in the egg, then the cornstarch mixture to coat. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet or wok over medium heat, and cook the coated tofu 5-8 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the peanut sauce and peanuts. Continue to cook and stir until sauce has thickened and tofu is well-coated.

Top rice with veggies, tofu and extra peanut sauce.

veggie stir fry

olive/vegetable oil to taste (1/3 cup?)
1/2 onion, sliced or diced
4-6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 carrot (peeled, cut into thin strips)
1 head broccoli, cut into small flowerets
1 squash, sliced into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 head cabbage
soy sauce - a few splashes to taste (3-6 T maybe?)
(other veggies ideas: zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, green peas, snow peas, water chestnuts, cashews, tomatoes, green/red bell pepper, baby corn, etc. The ideas are endless!)

Heat oil in large wok until hot. Add onions & garlic - stir until cooked well*. Add carrots and stir continuously, for about 5-10 minutes (until almost cooked thru). Add broccoli & squash, stirring well. Splash with soy sauce & mix again. Add water and stir some more. This is called a STIR fry, so it includes lots of stirring! Cover with lid and steam 1-2 minutes. Add cabbage towards the end, with 1 minute to spare. We like our veggies cooked but still firm (not soggy). You can steam (& stir) longer if you like. Serve over rice!

*If you must add meat to this concoction - you can insert here. Chicken, shrimp, and even beef will compliment this dish nicely. I think grilled salmon would be a-mazing with this dish! Maybe a teriyaki salmon fillet. Yum!!