Ginger Apricot Stir Fry

A stir-fry is a quick meal to make. The key to making it an even faster dish is in the preparation. The smaller and more uniform the items being cooked are made, the shorter the cook time.

Substitutions:
• This stir-fry uses chicken but TOFU, shrimp, lean strips of beef or pork, sausage, or nuts can be substituted for the chicken.
• This recipe uses QUINOA but rice, millet, sorghum, or Thai rice noodles can be substituted.
• You can substitute diced pineapple or use a mixture of dried apricot and pineapple

Base Ingredients:
4 inches of GINGER ROOT
1 cup diced DRIED APRICOTS
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 cup diced chicken breast (even size cubes or strips)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 TBSP olive oil
1 cup Vegetable or Chicken Broth (low sodium)

Instructions:
• If you do not have quinoa prepared, prepare quinoa according to the package instructions. Start this step first if needed. For the liquid, I suggest low sodium vegetable or chicken broth)
• Peel the ginger root and slice into small strips
• Dice the apricot, onion, and chicken into even sizes (the smaller the sizes, the faster it cooks)
• Sautee the onion and chicken in a pa until the onion is translucent. .
• Add broth, ginger root, and apricots. Cook on medium heat.
• When the broth is almost gone, add the quinoa and stir to incorporate.
• Serve … garnish with sesame seeds. Add a side salad or a vegetable such as roasted peas and asparagus.

Protein Pancakes with Plum Chia Preserves

I love real simple food. Recipes that are easy to make and contain ingredients that can easily be pronounced are ones I tend to cook time after time.

My protein pancakes is a recipe that I make 2 to 3 times a week. I make a few changes each time I make them to keep the recipe fresh and to continue to find subtle nuances to perfect the dish. This recipe serves 1 person. It can be multiplied if cooking for more people. I prefer the pancakes fresh but they do reheat very well.

These protein pancakes were made using the following ingredients:
2 LARGE RIPE bananas
2 Eggs
¼ TSP Baking Powder
1 TSP Cinnamon
¼ cup Ground Flaxseed Meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
2 TBSP Gluten Free Protein Powder
Walnut Oil - or Oil of your choice (for the pan)

Instructions:
1. Whisk together the eggs, cinnamon, and baking powder
2. Add the bananas and mash with a fork to incorporate
3. Warm a pan to medium high heat with 2 TBSP Oil
4. Add a soup ladle full of batter to the pan…3 fit in my pan
5. Flip when bubbles form in the center (about 3 minutes on each side)
6. Use spatula to flatten when you flip so center is cooked evenly
7. Serve and enjoy!

Toppings:
I made Plum Chia Preserves … a variation of my Berry Chia Jam.
OR add a combination of nuts, powdered sugar, and/or dried fruit if you wish along with honey.

Plum Chia Preserves

Spring is a GREAT time to get fresh stone fruit. I used FRESH home-grown plums and made a variation on my Berry Chia Jam.

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Plums (rinsed and cut away from the stone pit)
¼ Cup Organic Chia Seeds (I used Mamma Chia)
Honey (to taste)

Instructions:
1. Wash and cut the plums from their pits
2. Add to a small saucepan and cook on low (covered)
3. Stir every 5 minutes
4. Should be done after 15 minutes if the peaches are fresh picked, it will take a bit longer (30 minutes at the most) if you are using plums from the store
5. Taste to determine flavor of the batch of fruit. Add honey 1 TBSP at a time if you wish to sweeten.
6. Add ¼ cup of Organic Chia Seeds. Stir. Let it rest for 15 minutes or overnight.

HINT: I like to make this in the evening and let the chia seeds absorb the fruit/juice overnight.
HINT: When you taste the preserves you will know whether the skin of the fruit is tender enough to keep the fruit as is or whether you should blend before adding the chia seeds. Fresh picked fruit tends to have softer skin than fruit that is in commercial grocery stores.

Serving Suggestions:
• This can be eaten alone as a breakfast. For some crunch, sprinkle some granola on top.
• Use as a fruit preserve to make peanut butter + plum preserve sandwich.
• Use to flavor plain yogurt for breakfast or add to frozen yogurt/ice cream as a dessert.
• Use to top pancakes, waffles, french toast, and crepes.

Broccoli Greens with Bacon

I am not one of those people whose mantra is “everything is better with bacon”. I do enjoy Turkey Bacon from time-to-time, but do not actively seek out ways to incorporate bacon into my diet. After a handful of people telling me that greens (broccoli, collard, beet) are good when sautéed with bacon and some vegetable broth, I decided to try. I made a small portion to see about what these people have been raving. The dish was enjoyable! I was disappointed I made such a small quantity. I have made this dish several times since.

Base Ingredients and Options:
2 cups of Broccoli (substitute collard or beet) Greens diced thin
2 slices of Bacon (I used TURKEY bacon) sliced into small strips
2 cups Vegetable Broth (low sodium). Substitute Chicken Broth to enhance Turkey Bacon flavor or Beef to enhance Bacon flavor. Low sodium is suggested for all broth.

Additional Options:
Dice a cup of onion and 2-4 cloves of garlic
DOUBLE the Bacon if you wish to make this a MAIN dish. Serve with a wedge of bread or roasted/mashed potatoes.

Instructions:
Add ingredients to pan and cook on low heat. Cover and stir from time to time to monitor liquid level. Add more liquid if greens are not tender when first two cups are absorbed.

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Clean Up: 5 minutes (pan, cutting board, colander, and measuring cup)

Taste of Summer Ravioli

Long before there was a show on Food Network called Semi-Homemade, I watched my mother prepare Semi-Homemade dishes for our family. My mother worked full time and raised two children. She could have used a 25th hour in the day but was not granted one. We always ate healthy foods and rarely ate out. She taught me tricks to make healthy choices in the grocery store and to enhance the packaged goods one buys with fresh ingredients.

As I became an adult and Semi-Homemade became a popular show on Food Network, my mother and I shared an affinity for the recipes as they reminded us of what we have been doing for years.

I need to be GLUTEN FREE and have had to eliminate many packaged/processed foods from my diet. I make more foods from scratch but still hold true to the mantra taught to me by my mother, always enhance packaged foods with fresh ingredients.

When I do use packaged foods I try to make the healthiest choice I can. Often this choice is made due to time constraints. I ALWAYS make time to eat healthy and exercise. I sacrifice sleep to ensure I eat well and an active.

The star of this dish is Three Bridges Gluten Free Butternut Squash Ravioli. One package is good for TWO people. If you are making a single serving, cook half of the raviolis and place the rest in an airtight container in the refrigerator for next time. I suggest using them within the week after you open the original package.

The delight with recipes like this, you can make them different each time you cook. Just add the vegetables that are in season and you have on hand.
Potential Variations Include:
Add Protein: Grilled Chicken Breast, Gluten Free Sausage, Homemade Meatballs, Tofu (Pan Fried or Baked)
Add Vegetables: Asparagus and Leeks, Zucchini and Yellow Squash, Tri-Color Peppers, Caramelized onions and Garlic, or Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 Ear of Corn…cut corn off one cob … yields about 1 cup
1 Red/Yellow/Orange Bell Pepper
1 Medium Red Onion
2 TBSP olive Oil
1 Cup Vegetable Broth (low sodium if possible)
1 TBSP Butter (unsalted)

Options for Garnishes when Serving:
Cracked Pepper, Shredded Parmesan Cheese, or Basil

Instructions:
1. Prepare the vegetables:
• Dice the pepper and onion into even sized pieces. You can use a mandolin for small,
even slices. Set to the side.
• Cut the corn off the cob (can use frozen corn … fresh will not end up “soggy”).
• Sautee the corn with ½ TBSP unsalted butter in a pan. Stir from time to time. When the
corn starts to turn golden, add the diced pepper, onion, and vegetable broth. Cook
until MOST of the liquid evaporates. Turn the heat off.
2. Cook the Ravioli:
• Bring water to a rolling boil. Add the ravioli and cook 2-3 minutes SHY of the package
instructions.
• Before draining, transfer ½ a soup ladle’s worth of pasta water to the pan with the
vegetables.
• Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove each ravioli and place in the pan with the
vegetables.
3. Finish cooking the dish on medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.
4. Serve or store in an airtight container and enjoy later (perhaps lunch at work).

A Cook's Chia Choice: Peach Pudding or Peach Jam

When fruit starts to ripen faster than you can eat it, it is time to get resourceful. Fresh, organic fruit should not be wasted. You can freeze the fruit, can the fruit, bake with the fruit, or make jam with the fruit.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Start by washing the fruit and cutting it to remove the pit. I diced the fruit and placed it in a saucepan and covered it.
2. I added 2 TBSP water to the saucepan and turned it on to low.
3. For this batch I had about 2 cups of diced fruit, I cooked it on low for about 30 minutes. I stirred it from time to time.
4. Once the fruit has cooked down, you can mash it with a potato masher, leave chunky, or put in a blender.

STOP HERE if you wish to make PEACH CHIA PUDDING. Let it rest for about 30 minutes for the chia to absorb the liquid in the peaches. Enjoy the pudding ... sprinkle with granola or diced nuts. This is a great breakfast, snack., or dessert!


5. Taste the fruit to determine the flavor. You can add honey 1 TBSP at a time to achieve the desired sweetness for you. Oftentimes the fruit is ripe enough it does not need to be enhanced!
6. Add 2 TBSP Mamma Chia White Chia Seeds per cup of fruit and stir to incorporate.
7. Let rest for about 30 minutes.

Serve warm or refrigerate in an airtight container.

SUGGESTIONS for the PEACH CHIA JAM:
Use as a syrup on pancakes, French toast, or waffles.
Use to sweeten and add fruit to plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt.
Enjoy as a dessert.
Use with peanut butter in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

(Pea)Nutty Chewy Granola Bars

I decided to make homemade granola bars the same way I made Rice Krispie Treats as a young adult. Since I periodically added peanut butter to the marshmallows when I made Rice Krispie Treats, I figured why not make granola bars in the same fashion. Nutty Chewy Granola Bars emerged from this inspiration. For this recipe I used OnceAgain Creamy Peanut Butter and Creamy Almond Butter.

BASE INGREDIENTS:
4 Cups of Uncooked Oats
2 Cups of Peanut (or other NUT butter) Butter
1 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Ground Flax Seeds
OPTIONAL:
1/2 Cup Diced Dried Fruit (I try to use unsweetend and unsulfered)
1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (have nuts correspond with the nut butter used)
2 Scoops Gluten Free Protein Powder
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds

Instructions:
1. Prepare a glass baking dish 13x11, 9x11, or the size that works best for you by spraying it with Coconut Oil or Olive Oil.
2. Melt the nut butter in a large saucepan. Stir the entire time so it does not burn. Remove from heat. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
3. Transfer chewy mixture to the baking dish. Spray the back of a spatula with Coconut Oil and use the back of the spatula to press the granola mixture into a solid form in the pan.
4. After it cools, cut into bars the size of your liking.

HINT: If you wish to use them as a snack when you travel, make them with ALMOND or CASHEW butter as you may encounter fellow passengers on a plane or train that have a peanut allergy.

HINT: For a flavorful variation, use 2 different nut butters…1 cup of each.

Using Almond Butter and Dried Cheeries:

Take to work or school or on a trip. Carry in a small plastic container and enjoy while on the go! You can always enjoy for breakfast with a smoothie or piece of fruit!