Chickpea Salad

Submitted by Amy R

I feel a little silly writing this down. We usually just use whatever odds and ends we have in the fridge for this. Adding whole grain, like barley or bulghur, combines to form a complete protein with the chickpeas and makes an easy vegetarian meal.

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or about 3 cups of cooked, rinsed beans)
1 cucumber, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 C fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T lemon juice
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (to taste)
salt and black pepper (to taste – we actually prefer w/o salt)
if desired: chopped onion; chopped tomato; chopped hard boiled egg; cooked cubed chicken; cooked barley, bulghur, quinoa, or cous cous; chopped red, green, or yellow peppers; olives; any other odds and ends you have in your fridge

Directions:
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic to form a dressing. Combine with all other ingredients and serve cold. Makes a good side dish to mediterranean meals, or it can be a meal on its own if whole grains or an animal protein are added. Also good with hummus as a filling for pita bread.

Nutrition: to be added

Summer Tomato Sauce

Submitted by Amy R, found on 101cookbooks.com

This sauce is very bright and fresh tasting despite the canned tomatoes. The zest really makes the sauce. The original recipe calls for the zest of an entire lemon but we find that too lemony. The sauce is incredibly versatile and easy – pasta, fresh basil, and parmesan make an easy meal.

Ingredients:
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (avoid ones with added sugar or seasonings)
½ to 1½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste; 1 1/2 is quite spicy if you are serving kids)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp sea salt or ¼ tsp table salt
¼ C extra virgin olive oil
zest of ½ lemon

Directions:
Combine garlic, olive oil, salt, and red pepper in a cold saucepan. Heat over medium high just until bubbling and fragrant, but before garlic begins to brown. Add tomatoes and simmer a few minutes, stirring frequently. It will seem like the oil will not incorporate into the sauce (it pools around the edges), but continue stirring. and it will do so once the sauce begins to cool. Turn off heat and stir in lemon zest.

Nutrition: to be added

Cold Avocado Soup

Submitted by Amy R, found in Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 C buttermilk*
4 tsp lime juice
¼ tsp salt
pinch of cayenne
if desired, any garnish of choice (suggestions: chopped cucumber; pico de gallo; sour cream or plain yogurt; lump crabmeat)

Directions:
Puree avocado and garlic in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add buttermilk, lime juice, salt, and cayenne and blend. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until cold. If necessary, thin with buttermilk, cream, or milk. Garnish as desired.

*For those with dairy allergies, you can substitute 2 T lemon juice plus 2 cups of milk substitute (soy, rice, oat, etc.) for the buttermilk. The soup will be thinner than if buttermilk is used.

Nutrition: to be added

Thai Chicken Pizza

Submitted by Shelly

Ingredients:
1 precooked pizza crust
1- 7 oz jar peanut sauce
¼ C peanut butter
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken, cooked and cut into strips
1 C Italian cheese, shredded
1 bunch green onion, chopped
½ C bean sprouts (optional)
½ C carrots, chopped or grated
½ C zucchini, chopped or grated
½ C cilantro, chopped
1 T roasted peanuts

Directions:
Mix the sauce and peanut butter together and spread on pizza crust. Then place cooked chicken, green onion and cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-12 minutes. Sprinkle  on the rest of the ingredients and serve.

Nutrition: to be added

Strawberry Salad

Submitted by Shelly

Ingredients:
1 large head romaine lettuce
1 head boston lettuce
1 C Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1C olive oil
¾ C sugar
½ C red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ tsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
½ toasted walnuts

Directions:
Tear lettuces into bite sized pieces and combine with cheese and strawberries. Whisk remaining ingredients, except walnuts, in a bowl until well combined. Add walnuts to dressing, and toss with salad.

Nutrition: to be added

Roasted Corn and Tomato Tarts (or pizza)

Submitted by Kellie

Servings: 4 – 1 wedge servings

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 C flour
2 T yellow corn meal
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
5 T water
1.5 T olive oil
cooking spray

Filling:
1½ C corn kernels (about 3 ears if fresh, I also have used frozen sweet corn)
½ C shredded smoked mozzarella cheese (reg. mozzarella is good too), divided
3 T chopped fresh basil
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 large tomato, cut into slices
1 T grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare crust, mix all dry ingredients together; add water and oil; stir until blended. Turn dough out to lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 2 minutes. (Here the recipe says to chill the dough for 15 minutes, I never do). Before rolling place dough between parchment paper and roll into 11-inch circle. Now, here is where it gets real tricky. If you have a tart pan you can use them now. If you don’t, you can call this the Roasted Corn and Tomato Pizza. That’s what I do. If so, place your rounds on a cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly brown. cool on wire rack.

To prepare filling, heat a large skillet, sprayed with cooking spray over medium high heat. Add corn and saute 5 minutes or until corn is lightly brown. Sprinkle one tablespoon of mozzarella on crust. Top with corn basil, salt, pepper. Sprinkle rest of mozzarella. Arrange tomato slices over cheese. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

Nutrition: to be added

The Mister’s Favorite Chicken Marinade

Submitted by Kellie

Yields: enough for 4-6 chicken breasts

Ingredients:
½ C white wine
2 T olive oil
1 T vinegar
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp onion salt
2 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Mix ingredients in a plastic re-sealable bag. Place chicken in marinade and let sit at least 30 minutes, but as long as 24 hours! This is a great recipe for the grill.

Nutrition: to be added

Kellie’s Green Beans

Submitted by Kellie

Ingredients:
¼ lb green beans (or 1 bag frozen)
2 T slivered almonds
1 T lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp basil
½ tsp pepper

Directions:
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix ingredients and cook for 10 minutes.

Nutrition: to be added

Kellie’s Fruit Salsa

Submitted by Kellie

Ingredients:
1 bunch green grapes, chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 lb strawberries, chopped
1 pint blueberries (any berry you want, really!), cut in half
1 T brown sugar
10 – 10-in flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 C cinnamon sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix chopped fruit, sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut tortilla into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Bake in the preheated oven 6 to 8 minutes. Flip wedges over repeat with butter spray and cinnamon sugar. Bake until tortillas are crisp but not too brown. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Nutrition: to be added

Summery Sherbert

Submitted by Jane

Ingredients:
Sherbert

Directions:
Go to Store. Purchase yummy sherbet. Go back home. Get out very large bowl. Scoop in yummy sherbet. Grab biggest spoon in sight. Enjoy.

Nutrition: check your label!