Meal 1
APPETIZER
Bell Pepper Smoothie
https://www.mainesnap-ed.org/recipes/bell-pepper-smoothie/
Prep time: 5 MIN
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 medium banana, peeled fresh or frozen
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple, drained or 1 cup fresh
1⁄2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1 cup water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Serve Immediately. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes:
For a sweeter smoothie reserve and add juice from the canned pineapple. Use less water if adding juice. Use any combination of berries.
SALAD/SIDE
Arugula Pineapple Salad
https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/arugula-pineapple-salad/8996/
SERVES 8
If Piavé cheese is not available, a good quality Parmesan can be used in its place.
INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
water
4 cup washed arugula
peeled fresh pineapple
⅓ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 oz Piavé cheese (an Italian cheese with the texture of Parmesan, but a lighter, fruity taste)
DIRECTIONS
1. For dressing, whisk balsamic vinegar with mustard. Slowly pour in olive oil while whisking. Season to taste. If dressing seems thick, whisk in a tablespoon or 2 of water (this allows the dressing to coat the arugula without weighing them down).
2. To assemble the salad, arrange arugula on a platter. Remove core from pineapple and slice as thinly as possible (on a mandolin is best). Arrange pineapple over arugula. Slice red onion and arrange on salad. Sprinkle pine nuts over. With a vegetable peeler or cheese knife, pull curls or thin shards of Piavé over. Drizzle dressing over, season lightly and serve.
MAIN COURSE
TERIYAKI PINEAPPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
http://athleticavocado.com/2014/07/08/teriyaki-pineapple-stuffed-acorn-squash/
2 acorn squash, cut in halves
1 lb lean turkey or tempeh (for vegan/vegetarian option)
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
Teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice
1 Tbsp. gluten free/gmo/low-sodium free soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger ( Or 4 TBSP fresh )
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Fill two glass pans with one inch of water and place two squash halves in each pan face down. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until squash is soft.
In a stir fry pan on medium heat, combine turkey and onions. Cook for about 7 minutes, and then add pineapple and peppers. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until meat is fully cooked and onions are browned.
In a small bowl, add all ingredients for sauce and mix well. Combine with turkey mixture and mix well.
Fill cooked squash halves with turkey mixture and bake for about 15 minutes, or until tops are slightly browned.
Enjoy!!
DESSERT
Apple Pear Pie
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/apple-pear-pie/
Ingredients
Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
3 medium ripe pears, peeled and thinly sliced
3 medium tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon whole milk
Directions
Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim to 1 in. beyond edge of plate. In a large bowl, combine the pears, apples, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer mixture to crust; dot with butter.
Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges. Add decorative cutouts if desired. Brush with milk; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cover edges loosely with foil.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Test Kitchen tip
Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches): Combine 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. salt; cut in 1 cup cold butter until crumbly. Gradually add 1/3 to 2/3 cup ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough in half and shape into disks; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
Meal 2
APPETIZER
Grilled Pineapple and Banana Salsa with Chips
INGREDIENTS
1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-in. slices Canola or olive oil to coat pineapple Curry powder, salt, smoked paprika to season pineapple 2 ripe bananas 1/2 red bell pepper 1/4 cup packed down cilantro leaves 1 small piece fresh ginger root (about the size of cherry tomato), skin removed 5 cloves fresh, peeled garlic 1 habanero pepper Juice of 4 limes 1 tbsp. cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. gluten-free soy sauce or tamari Salt to taste
STEPS
Place pineapple slices in non-reactive bowl. Put just enough oil on pineapple to coat. Sprinkle lightly with curry powder, smoked paprika and salt. Place slices on hot gas or charcoal grill and cook on both sides, until slightly softened and well browned. Place in cooler.
Peel one banana and small dice, place in mixing bowl.
Small dice red pepper and add to banana.
Julienne or roughly chop cilantro leaves and add to banana.
Peel banana and place in blender. Add ginger, garlic, habanero, lime juice, vinegar and soy. Blend on high, until completely smooth. Add to banana mixture.
Small dice cooled pineapple and add to all other ingredients. Mix well, check seasoning and serve with chips.
SALAD / SIDE
Broccoli and Pear Salad with Ginger Yogurt Vinaigrette
https://parade.com/263907/sanuraweathers/knock-out-colds-and-illnesses-with-broccoli-and-pear-salad-with-ginger-yogurt-vinaigrette/
By SANURA WEATHERS
SERVES
4 to 6 as a side dish
ACTIVE TIME
20 min.
TOTAL TIME
30 min.
INGREDIENTS
Ginger Yogurt Vinaigrette:
2 bunches broccoli, cut into small florets
The juice of 2 lemons
Sea salt, as needed
5 oz baby greens, rinsed and drained (Arugula works well here)
2 to 3 pears, peeled, cored and sliced lengthwise ¼” thick
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
⅓ cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
2 to 3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
Fresh black pepper, as needed
(Optional) Crushed red pepper, as needed
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
2 Tbsp plain, cultured yogurt
½ cup almond or olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Either use a steamer to cook broccoli tossed with sea salt and the juice of one lemon for about 10 minutes. Alternatively, place broccoli florets in a large bowl. Pour boiling hot water over the broccoli until they’re completely submerged. Mix in a little sea salt or the juice of one lemon. Cover bowl with a towel. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Rinse broccoli under cold water and drain. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make the ginger vinaigrette: Place ginger, garlic, salt, both peppers, rice vinegar, honey, and yogurt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and adjust seasoning to taste. Add the almond oil and continue to puree until smooth and airy. Set aside.
In a large bowl, lightly toss steamed broccoli, a little sea salt, baby greens, pear slices, red onion and almonds. Drizzle ginger vinaigrette over the salad. Enjoy!
Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish.
MAIN COURSE
Balsamic Roasted Broccoli and Red Pepper Grilled Cheese
https://cookieandkate.com/balsamic-roasted-broccoli-and-red-pepper-grilled-cheese/
Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
Category: Sandwich
Hearty grilled cheese sandwiches made with whole grain bread and stuffed with caramelized, balsamic roasted vegetables and cheddar cheese. Recipe yields 4 sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS
Roasted vegetables
1 pound broccoli, or 8 ounces broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper
1 small yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sandwiches
8 slices quality whole grain bread, preferably sourdough
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1+ tablespoons butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare your veggies, keeping in mind that you want them to be roughly the same size for even cooking. Remove the florets from the broccoli stems and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Slice the bell pepper into thin strips. Halve the onion and slice it into thin strips as well (no need to separate the strips of onion from each other).
Transfer the prepared veggies to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the salt and toss until all of the ingredients are evenly combined. Arrange the veggies in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with red pepper flakes and a few twists’ worth of freshly ground black pepper. Bake until the veggies are tender and deeply caramelized, about 20 minutes, tossing halfway.
To prepare your sandwiches: Spread a very thin layer of Dijon mustard on one slice of bread. Top the mustard with a heavy sprinkling of shredded cheese, then as much roasted vegetables as you can reasonably fit on top. Top with more cheese and place another piece of bread on top. Repeat for the remaining three sandwiches.
To cook your sandwiches: Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add a generous pat of butter. Let the butter melt and swirl it around. Carefully place one sandwich on one side of the pan, then another sandwich on the other side. Cover the pan with a lid or a baking pan to encourage the cheese to melt. Let the sandwich cook until the bottom side is golden and the cheese is mostly melted. Use a spatula to life one sandwich out of the pan at a time. Add a little more butter to the pan and let it melt. Carefully flip the sandwiches over and place them back in the pan to cook the other sides until they’re nice and golden (I covered the sandwiches again here). Once the cheese is melted through and both sides are golden, transfer the sandwiches to serving plates. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
DESSERT
Ginger Banana Whips
https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/ginger-banana-whips/
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2
Author Alissa
Ingredients
2 bananas broken into 2" chunks and frozen overnight
1 " piece of ginger peeled
Instructions
Optional step: Grate the ginger. I didn't do this, and I ended up with a few little chunks. I like this, but it might be a bit intense for some.
If you didn't grate the ginger, place it in your blender or food processor, and blend for a few seconds, just to get it broken up before you add the banana.
Add banana and blend until smooth, scraping bowl every so often.
Spoon into dishes and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Add another banana and 1/2" of ginger for every additional serving. I don't suggest making fewer than two servings at a time, as this small an amount might be tough to blend completely.
Meal 3
Side
Coconut-Apple-Ginger Dal
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/coconut-apple-ginger-dal
4 servings
This velvety lentil soup is the antidote to holiday excess; skip the yogurt to make it vegan. We love using red lentils because they finish cooking in 20 minutes and break down quickly.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground turmeric
½ large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 3" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 large apple (unpeeled), grated on the large holes of a box grater
1½ cups red lentils
1 13.5-oz. can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Plain yogurt, cilantro leaves, and toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (for serving)
RECIPE PREPARATION
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cook cayenne, cumin, and turmeric, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add apple and lentils and stir to coat. Stir in coconut milk and 2½ cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are completely soft and dal is thick, 20–25 minutes. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Divide dal among bowls and top with yogurt, cilantro, and coconut flakes; season with more pepper.
Appetizer
Arugula Pesto with Toasted Bread
https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/arugula-pesto/#wprm-recipe-container-20969
Arugula Pesto, just a few ingredients including fresh arugula, parmesan cheese and a little pecorino makes this pesto a perfect surprise from the Classic Genovese Pesto. Try it and see!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Ingredients
6 cups arugula (130 grams)
1/2 cup + 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese** (70 grams)
1/4 cup Pecorino Cheese (30 grams)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons pine nuts (30 grams)
1/2 cup + 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (150 grams)
**If you like a stronger taste of arugula then add only 1/2 cup + 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of parmesan.
Instructions
In a food processor or blender add the arugula, parmesan and pecorino cheese, salt, chopped garlic, pine nuts and 1/4 cup olive oil to start. Blend ingredients on medium speed until it starts to combine, then add another 1/4 cup of olive oil and blend again for approximately 30 seconds, then add a tablespoon or 2 of the remaining olive oil until you reach your desired thickness.
Serve on toasted bread
Or
Mix with cooked pasta, sprinkle with grated Parmesan Cheese for Main dish
Enjoy.
**Leftover Pesto can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.
MAIN COURSE
Warm Pasta with Broccoli, Bell Pepper and Parmesan
https://recipeland.com/recipe/v/warm-pasta-broccoli-bell-pepper-55008
Simply toss warm pasta, cooked broccoli, bell pepper and carrot with a tasty olive oil-lemon dressing and parmesan cheese. A delicious yet nutritious meal is ready to go.
Yield
4
servings
Prep
10
min
Cook
12
min
Ready
25
min
Metric
Ingredients
12 ounces bow-tie pasta (farfalle) or as needed, preferably whole wheat
½ tablespoon olive oil 1 each yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 each sweet red bell peppers slice into strips
1 each carrots peeled and slice into match sticks
4 cups broccoli florets cut into bite size pieces
4 tablespoons kalamata olives sliced
½ cup Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons parsley leaves freshly chopped, optional
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin 2 tablespoons lemon juice or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
*
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Add pasta and cook until desired consistency, 10 to 12 minutes.
Drain, and return to pot with lid on. Set aside.
Meanwhile heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot.
Add garlic, and cook for about 1 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in bell pepper and carrots, and cook for about 4 minutes until tender but still crispy.
Add broccoli and cook for another 3 minutes or so.
Remove from heat and transfer cooked veggies and olives into warm pasta that's kept in the pot.
In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste.
Pour dressing over veggies and pasta, gently toss until well combined.
Stir in parsley if desired.
Divide among the serving plates, sprinkle with parmesan.
Serve warm.
Dessert
Fresh Ginger Cookies
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16318/fresh-ginger-cookies/
"Somewhere between a molasses cookie and a gingersnap, these are especially good cookies."
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup white sugar
Directions
Prep
30 m
Cook
15 m
Ready In
1 h 45 m
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat ginger, butter, and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Gently fold in flour mixture until just combined. Chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll them in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake until edges start to brown, about 15 minutes. Centers will be slightly soft. Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute and remove to racks to cool completely.