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This Week's Recipes

Meal 1

BAKED EGGS WITH SAUTÉED ONIONS, TOMATOES, AND SPINACH

Yield: 1

Cook Time: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp sweet yellow onion, diced finely

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

4-5 grape tomatoes, sliced

1/4 cup baby spinach leaves

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1 tsp water

2 eggs

Parmesan cheese, shredded, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a small OVEN PROOF skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes, or until softened.

Add the sliced grape tomatoes and spinach then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, toss to coat evenly. Take the skillet off of the heat and spread the veggies towards the sides of the skillet. Add a teaspoon of water (this will help the veggies not burn & the eggs to not get browned on the bottom of the skillet). Carefully crack the eggs into the center of the skillet, making sure not to break the yolks. Season the top of the eggs with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese, to taste.

https://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2015/02/baked-eggs-with-sauteed-onions-tomatoes-and-spinach.html

roasted carnival squash with pears and red onion

  • 1 medium carnival squash (or acorn, or hubbard), deseeded and and cut into wedges

  • 2 bosc pears, cored and quartered

  • 1 red onion, peeled and quartered

  • 6 cloves of garlic, skin on

  • olive oil, salt and pepper

  • few springs of rosemary, thyme, and oregano

preparation:

  • preheat oven to 400 degrees. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • divide the veg between the 2 sheets. drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. mix well to make sure all veg gets coated, and arrange the the veg cut side down on the sheet. sprinkle herbs, torn from the stem, on both sheets.

  • roast on the middle rack for 25 minutes, then check to see how brown the bottoms are. if they aren't golden, continue roasting another 5-10min, checking on them until they get some color. flip over all the veg to the other cut side and move the sheets to the bottom rack. cook for another 5-10 minutes until that side is golden too.

remove from oven and let cool slightly before removing from sheet. transfer to a platter and garnish with a few sprigs of herbs.

http://whatido.com/posts/roasted-carnival-squash-with-pears-and-red-onion

APPLE AND PEAR SPINACH SALAD WITH HONEY LEMON GINGER VINAIGRETTE

PRINT RECIPE

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 as a meal, 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

For the salad:

  • 6 packed cups baby spinach

  • 1 sweet apple, cored and sliced

  • 1 ripe pear, cored and sliced

  • ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled

  • ½ cup pecans

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the vinaigrette:

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

  • 1 tbsp pure honey

  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place the fruit in a large bowl and gently toss it with a tablespoon of lemon juice to prevent browning. Then assemble the salad by combining the rest of the salad ingredients together.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until well combined. Taste and adjust the dressing to your preference.

  3. Drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette on top of the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

NOTES

  • I used a Gala apple and Bartlett (Williams) pear in this recipe.

  • If you are planning to have leftovers, keep the salad separate from the vinaigrette and cover both in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle just before serving.

  • Store remaining dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

  • Nutritional calories represent one serving with four servings total.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

Calories: 365 Carbs: 23.2g Fat: 30.9g Protein: 6.1g

https://www.yayforfood.com/recipes/apple-pear-spinach-salad-honey-lemon-ginger-vinaigrette

Plum and Apple Puff Pastry Tart

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Just like anything with puff pastry, this recipe is very easy: just get all the fruits together, slice them up, assemble and bake. Delicious Plum and Apple Puff Pastry Tart!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 234 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry

  • 2 plums

  • 2 apples

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 egg for egg wash

  • 1 tablespoon confectionery sugar for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 415 F. Defrost 1 sheet of puff pastry for about 40 minutes until just soft. Don’t let puff pastry sheet get too warm and put it in the refrigerator if you’re not using it right away after 40 minutes of defrosting.


  • Core and peel apples, slice them thinly. Remove the pits from the plums, and slice them thinly.


  • In a bowl with apples, add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and let sliced apples sit for 5-10 minutes to get all juicy.


  • In a separate bowl, add 2 tablespoons brown sugar to sliced plums and let plums sit for 5-10 minutes to release their juices.


  • Line baking sheet with parchment paper. You don’t have to grease parchment paper.


  • Beat 1 egg in a small bowl until well blended. Brush puff pastry sheet with egg wash, especially the edges. Line apple slices and plum slices (apple slice, plum slice, apple slice, plum slice and so on) in a straight line along the puff pastry sheet. Make sure not to fill the whole space of puff pastry, so that you have extra space around the edges for puff. You should have 3 rows as shown on the photo


  • Bake for 20 minutes until pastry puffs up along the edges. To serve, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is for 1 whole sheet of puff pastry. Each package usually has 2 sheets.

Nutrition Facts

Plum and Apple Puff Pastry Tart

Amount Per Serving

Calories 234

Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 12g

18%

Saturated Fat 3g

15%

Cholesterol 20mg

7%

Sodium 86mg

4%

Potassium 100mg

3%

Total Carbohydrates 28g

9%

Dietary Fiber 1g

4%

Sugars 13g

Protein 3g

6%

Vitamin A

2.2%

Vitamin C

4.4%

Calcium

1.4%

Iron

5.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

https://juliasalbum.com/plum-and-apple-tart-on-puff-pastry-recipe/

Meal 2

How To Make Stuffed & Roasted Squash

MAKES

1 squash

SERVES

2

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 winter squash, like acorn, kabocha, red kuri, sweet dumpling, delicata, spaghetti or any other grapefruit-sized (or slightly larger) squash

  • 2 to 3 cups of filling

General amounts for filling — to equal 2 to 3 cups total:

  • 1/2 to 1 cup protein — sausage, chicken, pork, tempeh, or baked tofu

  • 1 to 2 cups veggies — onions, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, greens

  • 1/2 cup cooked grains and/or nuts — barley, quinoa, millet, farro, rice, walnuts, almonds, pecans

  • 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese

  • 1 to 3 teaspoons herbs or spices

EQUIPMENT

  • Chef's knife

  • Spoon

  • Baking dish

  • Aluminum foil

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Prepare the squash for roasting: Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. Slice the squash in half from stem to root and scoop out the seeds.

  • Transfer the squash to a baking dish: Place the squash halves cut-side-down in a baking dish and pour in enough hot water to fill the pan by about 1/4 inch. Cover the dish loosely with foil and place the dish in the oven.

  • Roast the squash: Roast the squash until very soft and tender when poked with a fork or paring knife, 30 to 50 minutes. Exact roasting time will depend on the size and variety of your squash.

  • Prepare the filling: While the squash is roasting, prepare the filling. Depending on the size of your squash, 2 to 3 cups of combined ingredients is usually sufficient. You can combine leftovers from other meals (cooked chicken, roasted vegetables, etc.) or you can prepare a fresh filling. Cook any raw meats and raw vegetables and combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust the spices, salt, and pepper to your liking.

  • Stuff the squash halves: Flip the cooked squash halves so they form bowls. Rub the inside with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the filling between the halves — it's fine to really stuff the wells and also to mound the filling on top.

Bake the stuffed squash halves until bubbly: Re-cover the pan with the foil and bake the halves for another 15 to 20 minutes until both are hot and bubbly. Top with extra cheese and serve immediately.

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-stuffed-roasted-squash-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-101662

Spinach Apple Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 cup diced unpeeled apple

  • 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

  • 1/4 cup raisins

  • 2 cups torn fresh spinach

  • 2 cups torn romaine

Directions

  • In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, salt and sugar; mix well. Add apple, onion and raisins; toss lightly to coat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

  • Just before serving, combine spinach and romaine in a large salad bowl; add dressing and toss.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 79 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 109mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 1g protein.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spinach-apple-salad/

Roasted Tomato Soup with Sweet Onion

Ingredients:

For the roasted tomatoes:

  • 3 lb. tomatoes

  • 1 Tbs. olive oil

  • 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

  • 1 Tbs. olive oil

  • 1 sweet onion, chopped

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Toasted sourdough bread for serving (optional)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 325°F.

To make the roasted tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half and place, cut side up, on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme. Spoon the mixture evenly over the tomatoes. Bake until the tomatoes are soft and wrinkled, about 1 hour. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often and reducing the heat as needed to prevent scorching, until the onion is soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high and boil until the liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and tomatoes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan used to roast the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

In a blender or food processor, puree the soup, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Alternatively, pass the soup through a food mill. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnish with the parsley and serve with toasted sourdough bread. Serves 4 to 6.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/roasted-tomato-soup-with-sweet-onion.html

Apple, Pear and Plum Compote

Ingredients

2 cups peeled Granny Smith apples, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 medium apples)

2 cups peeled ripe firm pears, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 medium pears)

2 cups unpeeled diced plums (about 3 large plums)

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  • In a large pot, combine the apples, pears, plums, 1/2 cup water, the honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

  • Remove the lid and continue cooking until the syrup is reduced and the fruit is tender, another 30 minutes.

Cool completely, cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve alone or on cake.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/apple-pear-and-plum-compote-recipe-2065360

Meal 3

Carrot, Tomato, and Spinach Quinoa Pilaf

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

  • 
1/2 onion, chopped

  • 
1 cup quinoa

  • 
2 cups water

  • 
2 tablespoons vegetarian chicken-flavored bouillon granules

  • 
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 
1 teaspoon thyme

  • 
1 carrot, chopped

  • 
1 tomato, chopped

  • 1 cup baby spinach

Directions

  • Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat; cook and stir the onion in the hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, stir in quinoa, and toast, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the water, bouillon granules, black pepper, and thyme; raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.

  • Stir in the carrots. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat, add the tomatoes and spinach, and stir until the spinach is wilted and the tomatoes have given off their moisture, about 2 minutes.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/204260/carrot-tomato-and-spinach-quinoa-pilaf/\

Tomato, Onion and Apple Chutney

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 -6 plum tomatoes, cored, peeled and cut into eighths

  • 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 tart apple, peeled, cored and cut into eighths

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 1 bay leaf

  • salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

  • Place all ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl.

  • Microwave uncovered on high for 20-25 minutes, or until apple and onion are cooked through, the excess liquid has evaporated, and the chutney is the consistency you want.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/tomato-onion-and-apple-chutney-198420#activity-feed

TOFINO BANANA-PEAR MUFFINS

These simple muffins are a perfect canvas for any type of fruit - berries, chunked apples or peaches - everything goes with banana. Or go for chunkily chopped walnuts or a handful of chocolate chips. Plain, they are briliant split while still warm and smeared with peanut butter. If you use pears, don't bother peeling them - not only is it extra work, you lose a lot of the fiber and nutrients.

Ingredients

2-3 large very ripe bananas

1/2-3/4 cup sugar, white or brown

2 large eggs

2-4 Tbsp. canola or olive oil

1 tsp. vanilla (if you have it)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or half all-purpose and half whole wheat

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch salt

1 ripe pear, roughly chopped (don't bother peeling it)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a medium bowl, mash together the bananas, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla with a potato masher or spatula until blended and the bananas are well mashed - don't worry about getting all the lumps out. Add the flour, baking soda and salt, and stir just until the batter starts coming together; add the pear and walnuts, or whatever additions you are using, and stir just until combined. Don't overmix, or your muffins could be tough.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins that are lined with paper liners or sprayed with nonstick spray, filling them about 3/4 full. If you like, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar. Bake for20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your muffins, until golden and the tops are springy to the touch.

http://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/05/01/bananapear-muffins/

Extras

Delicious fruit salad with Greek yogurt and dried cranberries

- 200gr (7oz) Greek yogurt

- 1 banana (150gr / 5oz), peeled and cut in slices

- 1 apple (300gr / 10.5oz), peeled and cut in small pieces

- 2 pears (250gr / 9oz), peeled and cut in small pieces

- 4 tablespoons (30gr / 1oz) walnuts, crumbled

- 3 tablespoons (30gr / 1oz) dried cranberries*

- 2 tablespoons honey

If you can't find dried cranberries, you can also use raisins.

Preparation

Put the fruits in a bowl. Add the honey, stir and let it marinate for 10 minutes.

Place an equal amount of the fruits in 2-4 smaller bowls and add the yogurt (about 1-2 tablespoons per bowl).

Garnish with the walnuts and the cranberries and drizzle with a little more honey. Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can adapt this recipe using any fruits you like.

2. You can also add some orange juice along with the honey in the marinade and some vanilla extract in the yogurt.

3. If you are allergic to walnuts or dried fruits, you can omit them.

4.If you can't find cranberries, you can also use raisins, the result is equally great.

Creamy Spinach and Sweet-Onion Dip with Crudites

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 8 ounces (6 cups) fresh spinach, stemmed

  • 1 ounce (1 cup) watercress leaves, coarsely chopped

  • 1/2 avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled

  • 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt, preferably Greek

  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco

  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • Crudites (such as spears of English cucumber, peeled baby carrots, and trimmed radishes), for serving

Directions

  • 1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion and garlic are very soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Add spinach, and cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Let cool slightly. 


2. Puree mixture in a food processor until smooth. Add watercress, avocado, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, hot sauce, and salt, and season with pepper. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). Stir the dip, and serve with crudite

https://www.marthastewart.com/330248/creamy-spinach-and-sweet-onion-dip-with

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