MEAL #1
ENTRÉE (Main Course)
Gluten Free Rice Bowl with Sorrel, Kale, Lemon & Radishes
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
35 mins
Sorrel is a wonderful addition and gives this simple rice dish a zesty, vibrant kick!
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
1 cup sorrel leaves
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 fresh squeezed lemons (approximately ¼ cup lemon juice)
1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried dill (or ½ tablespoon of fresh)
½ teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 small bunch organic kale, ribs removed and chopped
Zest of one lemon
2 red radishes, sliced thin for garnish
Lemon wedges for garnish
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Cook short-grain rice according to directions. Keep warm.
Place the sorrel leaves, chopped garlic, fresh squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, dill, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Process or blend until smooth. If it is too thick, add more liquid.
Place the chopped kale in a steamer basket. Bring 3 inches of water to boil in a large pot then carefully place the steamer basket into pot. Cover and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until the kale is just wilted. Season with a little salt and pepper. Keep warm.
In a medium bowl, toss the rice with the sorrel mixture. Place half the rice mixture in a serving bowl. Top with kale and radishes. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Serve with lemon wedges. This also tastes delicious with a fermented hot sauce.
Optional accompaniments could include: hemp seeds, nuts or additional vegetable
Side #1
ZINGY CHICKPEA AND SORREL SALAD
COURSE: SALAD
CUISINE: VEGAN
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES
SERVINGS: 2
CALORIES: 365KCAL
AUTHOR: THE GREEDY VEGAN
Zingy and refreshing spring salad with sorrel and chickpeas. Ingredients are listed as: metric ( imperial ).
INGREDIENTS
250 g 1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas
250 g 9 oz sorrel
2 tbsp parsley chopped
juice of one lemon about 3 tbsp
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
If you use canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them well. If you cook them fresh follow this instruction.
Add all ingredients except the sorrel and the parsley to a bowl. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. You can skip this step if you are in a hurry but letting it marinade helps the flavours to develop. When ready to serve mix in the sorrel and parsley and eat immediately.
NOTES
If you do not have any sorrel at home or have no access to it then you can also use arugula. Or you might as well use the humble spinach in this recipe. It will lack the strong sour flavor of the sorrel but you can compensate for it by adding the juice of half a lime to the dressing to recreate this chickpea and sorrel salad.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1g | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.5g | Protein: 8.5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 959mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 0.5g
Side #2
GREEN BEANS WITH PEPPERS
yield: SERVES 4 - 6
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 20 MINUTES
total time: 35 MINUTES
A quick to prepare, colorful side dish that is great year round.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Green Beans
1 Sweet Red Pepper
1 Sweet Yellow Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves, Peeled & Finely Sliced
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Hot Red Pepper Flakes
Cracked Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme
Sea Salt
Zest From 1 Lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
Trim the beans on each end, and then core the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes, and slice thinly.
Cook the beans and pepper strips in salted boiling water until tender crisp.
Drain, and drop the vegetables in a bowl of ice water and let sit for 10 minutes.
Drain beans and dry well.
In a wide bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Add the garlic and cook just until sizzling, then add the beans and peppers.
Cook for a minute or two unto the beans are flavored with the oil mixture and are warm.
Add the lemon zest and fresh thyme and toss to mix well.
Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Side #3
Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and peppers
Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers are golden from a sprinkling of turmeric and fragrant with the last remaining dry summer herbs.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
1 lb potatoes
2-3 lemons
2 crowns of broccoli
2 bell peppers
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 TB paprika
1/2 TB dried minced onion
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1/8 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Chop all vegetables coarsely: slice potatoes and lemons, break broccoli into florets, and cut bell peppers into thick strips.
In a large bowl, combine vegetables with seasonings and olive oil. Mix well until all vegetables are evenly coated.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer.
Roast at 425F for 30 mins. Serve immediately, making sure to get all the dressing out of the pan. Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and peppers will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for five days, their flavours intensifying.
Dessert
Cold Kiwi Cream Dessert
Kiwi is an underrated fruit, especially when it comes to adding it to anything other than fruit salad. In this recipe, kiwi is the star. With just three other ingredients and a grand total of 25 minutes need to prepare, this is sure to be a go to recipe. The wiki is blended with plain yogurt and honey to create a smooth cream. A quick set in the refrigerator is all it needs before you can serve. Try it topped with a dollop of whipped cream and some sliced strawberries for a healthy dessert.
4 servings
Ingredients
4 kiwi fruits
16 oz plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
sugar
Directions
Add the kiwi fruits, yogurt, honey, and pinch of sugar to a blender.
Puree until smooth and add more sugar if needed.
Serve cold.
MEAL #2
ENTRÉE (Main Course)
Baked Salmon with Peppers and Onion
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Level: Easy
Juicy baked salmon with a delicious combination of pepper and onion. Try this healthy and easy-to-cook salmon dish recipe.
Ingredients
1 whole Green Pepper
1 whole Red Pepper
1 whole Onion
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 whole Salmon Fillets, 6 Ounces Each
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Black Pepper, Ground
Preparation
1. Wash and remove seeds and stem from the peppers and slice into strips. Slice the onion as well.
2. Cook the onion and peppers over low heat in a non-stick frying pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes.
3. Place the onion and peppers into a baking dish that’s large enough for the salmon as well.
4. Preheat oven to 350 F (175ºC).
5. Place the salmon fillets into the baking dish and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
Side #1
Roasted Radishes, Potatoes and Crispy Lentils
Roasting brings out the nutty sweetness of radishes and turns lentils into a powerhouse of texture. This beautiful dish includes a little honey and lemon, greens (sorrel if you can find it in season, spinach if you can't) and a quick buttermilk dressing.
Make Ahead: The lentils can be refrigerated in their cooking liquid for up to 1 week; drain and dry well before roasting.
4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups dried French green lentils (du Puy; may substitute black beluga lentils), picked over and rinsed
4 cups water
1 pound radishes (no greens), trimmed
1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest and 3 tablespoons juice (from 1 large lemon)
1 tablespoon honey (may substitute agave nectar)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed
1/4 cup buttermilk (may substitute thin plain yogurt)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups lightly packed sorrel or spinach leaves
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat until the liquid is gently bubbling and cook until the lentils are barely tender, 20 to 25 minutes. If you're cooking the lentils in advance, reserve the cooking liquid for storage. When ready to use, drain the lentils, spread them out on a clean dish towel and pat them dry.
Cut the radishes and potatoes into halves, if small, or quarters, if larger (to get them roughly the same size). Toss them on a large, rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil, half the lemon juice, the honey and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Roast for 15 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice to move them around.
While the radish mixture is roasting, on a separate baking sheet, mix the cooked lentils with another 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the oil and all the lemon zest. Transfer the sheet to the oven with the radish mixture, and cook both until the lentils are crisped and starting to blister in places, and the radishes and potatoes are soft and starting to brown at the edges, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the buttermilk, the remaining lemon juice and the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a liquid measuring cup. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Taste, and add more salt as needed.
Toss the lentil, potato and radish mixture with the sorrel or spinach leaves on a large platter. Drizzle the buttermilk dressing over the top, and serve warm.
Side #2
Honey Ginger Green Beans
Fresh green beans flavored with honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
¾ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1 cup honey
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add green beans and cook until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Heat soy sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic and ginger in soy sauce until fragrant; stir in honey. Add green beans and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are tender, about 5 minutes more.
Dessert
Cherry Lemon Banana Cream Delight
This Cherry Lemon Banana Cream Delight is the perfect dessert for Valentine's day. The flavor is a mixture between cheesecake and banana pudding and is absolutely delicious.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Ingredients
1 package of vanilla instant jello pudding
8 oz cream cheese
14 oz of condensed milk
1/2 c of lemon juice
2-3 c of crushed vanilla wafers
2-3 bananas- sliced
1 (21) oz can of cherry pie filling
Instructions
In a large bowl, add room temperature cream cheese, vanilla flavored jello pudding, condensed milk and lemon juice.
Mix all of these ingredients together with a hand mixer until well blended, and refrigerate for one hour.
Process your Nilla wafers in a food processor until crumbles form. If you don't have a food processor, place
your wafers in a ziplock bag and crush them with the back of a glass or rolling pin.
Cut your bananas into slices.
To build your dessert:
In an 8 oz wine glass, add two heaping tablespoons of crushed vanilla wafers, followed by two heaping tablespoons of the mixture then a few slices of bananas.
Continue to layer your dessert until you're about half an inch to an inch from the top of the glass.
Then, top with about two heaping tablespoons of Cherry Pie Filling.
Lastly, add a slice of banana to the top of your dessert.
Website https://kulturalkreations.recipes/cherry-lemon-banana-cream-delight/
Meal # 3
ENTRÉE (Main Course)
Green Beans and Pesto Pasta over Romaine
Top each bowlful of pasta with an over-easy egg hot out of the skillet for a heartier dish.
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 cup dried ditalini or small shell macaroni (4 ounces)
12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup Green Bean Pesto (Recipe below)
½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 ounces romaine lettuce, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices (2 cups)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boiling. Add the pasta. Cook 6 minutes. Stir in beans; cook until pasta is al dente, about 4 minutes more. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
Step 2
Return pasta and beans to the pot (off the heat). Add pesto, Parmesan, and reserved cooking liquid; stir until coated. Add romaine; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Tips
If you like, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Crack six eggs into the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the whites are opaque, about 2 minutes. Cover skillet and cook until the whites are firm but the yolks are just firm, about 1 minute more. Top each serving of the past mixture with an egg and serve immediately.
Green Bean Pesto
Ingredients
10 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup chopped pitted green olives
½ cup toasted almonds or pine nuts
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boiling. Add the beans and cook 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon into a large bowl of ice water. When cool, drain beans, blot dry, and place in a food processor. Add basil, olives, and almonds. Cover; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add oil and process until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Let stand at room temperature and stir well before serving. Makes about 3 cups.
Side #1
Sweet Pepper, Mushroom and Onion Medley
yield: 4 SERVINGS
prep time: 10 MINUTES
cook time: 35 MINUTES
total time: 45 MINUTES
This easy side dish medley of sweet bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions is flavored with sautéed garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
3 large, sweet bell peppers (1 each orange, yellow and red)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Remove the stem, core, and seeds from the peppers and slice them lengthwise into thin strips. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until they are very soft and golden in color, 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring from time to time, until any moisture given off by the mushrooms has evaporated and they've turned a rich golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the peppers, season again with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the peppers have softened, 6 minutes.
Add the balsamic, cover the pan, and cook for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
Remove the cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring often. The peppers should be sweet and very tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve family-style.
Or, make it a main dish:
It’s also easy to turn our bell pepper, mushroom, and onion medley into a main dish. Here are a couple of easy ideas:
Make a one-dish pasta dinner: Once cooked, toss the veggies together with pasta (rotini is a good choice) and crumbled Italian sausage, top with grated Parmesan, and serve.
Make a flatbread: Buy some naan (we love Stonefire roasted garlic flavor) or other ready-made flatbreads and top with the cooked veggies and a blend of shredded Italian cheeses.
Make a low-carb “rice” bowl: Serve the vegetable medley along with shredded rotisserie chicken over steamed riced cauliflower, and drizzle with balsamic glaze for some added flavor.
Side #2
Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tartlets
A tart topped with sweet, caramelized onions and creamy goat cheese is cut into cocktail-friendly pieces.
YIELD: makes about 20 pieces
ACTIVE TIME:25 minutes
TOTAL TIME:1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, roughly chopped
Salt
8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 a 17.3 ounce box), defrosted
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Directions
Place olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 35 minutes. Season with salt. Let come to room temperature.
While onions are cooling, place goat cheese in a small bowl. Add black pepper and stir goat cheese until soft and easily spreadable.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place puff pastry on baking sheet. Spread goat cheese over tart, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides. Top tart evenly with onions and sprinkle with thyme. Bake until crust is golden, about 25-30 minutes.
Let tart cool for 15 minutes. Cut into approximately 2 by 3 inch rectangles. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Dessert
Chocolate Covered Banana Hearts
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 dozen bite sized hearts
Chocolate-covered banana hearts made with only two ingredients are great treats for kids to help make and eat.
INGREDIENTS
4 ripe bananas
8 ounces of chocolate
Sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel and cut the bananas into circles.
Cut the banana slices into hearts by cutting the bottom to make it pointy and then cutting a ‘v’ into the top.
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave.
Dip the banana hearts in the chocolate, one at a time. Fish them out with a fork and tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to remove any extra chocolate.
Place dipped hearts on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.
Repeat until all your hearts are covered, reheating the chocolate as needed.
Decorate with sprinkles if you like.
Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. These are also great frozen.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two days. Freeze for longer storage.
You can use whatever chocolate you like. I used Ghirardelli melting wafers because they are so easy to use
Bananas are so easy to cut! Get the kids involved – they can use a butter knife.