Seven Layer Dip

I was given this recipe but have not made it because I am trying to lose weight.
It sure sounds good. It would be a great recipe to take to your New Year's Party.
If you make it let me know how you rate this recipe.

Yield about 8 servings.
Ingredients:

• **15 oz can refried beans


• 1/4 cup water


• 1 Tablespoon olive oil- I would not use


• 1 teaspoon chili powder


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin


• salt to taste-I would not use


• 1 cup of vegan chedder and pepper jack cheese can mix the two


• 1 Jalapeno pepper-seeds and membranes removed-finely chopped


• 1 Avocado, finely chopped-or 1 cup guacamole


• 1 Tomato-seeds and juice removed and finely chopped


• 1 cup low sodium sour cream


• 1 small can black olives sliced.

1. Directions:
   Heat the refried beans in a medium saucepan. Add water to get a creamy consistency. Add oil (I would omit this) and all of the seasonings.When the beans are hot and bubbly, spread over the bottom of a serving dish.


2. Immediately spread the cheese over the beans.


3. Layer the rest of the ingredients in order given.


4. Serve immediately with low sodium chips or veggies.


5. Note:
   **If you go on my blog, I have a recipe on for low sodium refried beans. Go to Search on the right hand side of the blog and type in Refried Beans and the recipe will come up on the left hand side. I posted a recipe back sometime in July that is really good. Plus easy to make.

Happy New Year

Where has this year gone! It is hard to believe that we are celebrating another year.
Just want to wish a wonderful New Year to all my blogger friends.

I pray for lots of success for you on the CHIP Program this coming year. I had a hard time over the holidays with food choices. Was just very difficult with so much going on. I have a party tomorrow afternoon and another tomorrow evening. My goal is to get back on the program 100% on Sunday or Monday at the latest. I probably will go on the jump start. If you are struggling come do it with me. Remember it does work. You don't have to do the 7 days, just 4 will do it, and then make good choices after that.

I have been staying away from bread, pasta's, anything with oils, Earth Balance and dessert's.
I am proud to tell you that I weigh 20 lbs less than when I left the CHIP class in November.
I hope to lose another 25 lbs by the time my foot surgery takes place. It will make everything, including healing go so much faster. I know I can lose the next 25 lbs if I stay away from the above and eat more greens and beans.

The first of the year is a great time to make new changes. Let's do it together. OK.
I care so much about your success. I will encourage you and cheer you on. We can do it, and we will get to our goal!!! But we can't do it alone. We truly need one another.

Please email me at my Theda Care email verna.vannuland@thedacare.org or at my personnel email which is verna.v@att.net if you are struggling. I am here for you!!!!

Remember there is not such a thing as failure as long as you get back up and get back on track. There is not such a thing as a perfect person out there. You are not alone we all go through difficult times, especially me. But I will not quit!!!

Let's just do it!!!!

Merry Christmas

To everyone out there that reads my blog, I would like to wish you a Very Merry Christmas with your family and loved ones. May you build lots of wonderful memories.

It truly is the season to remember the Christ Child and why He came to earth. He truly is the Saviour of the world. If it would not be for the Lord in my life I cannot imagine where I would be. I believe He used the CHIP Program to save my life. With out that I would not be here. That is why I have such a passion to help others turn their lives around.

As you know the holidays can be a very difficult time with food choices. But it still is our choice if we want to eat healthy.
I am here if you are struggling and need a friend. If you stumble it is OK. Remember that does not make you a failure. Just get back on track as soon s possible. You are special no matter what your choices are this holiday and always. The CHIP Program truly works.

Have a wonderful Christmas.
I care very much.

Stay safe on the roads.

Buddha's Jewels

Karry, brought this recipe to out graduation potluck. They were devoured almost immediately.
She got the recipe from Moosewood Restaurant.
Joan Alder is a longtime Moosewood member. In her continuing quest for the new an exotic menu feature.Joan discovered this delicious, healthful dish. Golden tofu dumplings filled with crunchy bits of vegetables and topped with a shimmering, pungent sauce.
As an appetizer this recipe will serve 8-10 people.
Ingredients for Dumplings:

• 3 cakes of tofu pressed, drained and mashed


• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter-drain off any oil


• 3 Tablespoons Tamari soy sauce-watch sodium content on this.


• 8 scallions, chopped


• 1 green pepper, diced


• 1 i/2 cup chopped mushrooms-6 ounces


• 1/4 cup chopped parsley


• 1/2 cup diced water chestnuts

1. Directions:


2. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the tofu dumplings.
   Shape into approximately 2 dozen 2 " balls and place on an sprayed baking sheet.


3. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups pineapple/orange or apple juice


• 1/4 cup maple syrup


• 1/3 to 1/2 cup cider vinegar


• 1/4 cup tamari soy sauce


• 1 garlic clove, minced


• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in cold water

Directions for the sauce:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch in a stainless steel or enameled saucepan.


2. Bring to a boil. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and simmer stirring constantly until the sauce is clear and thickened.


3. Pour the sauce over the dumplings and serve immediately.


4. Serve Buddha's delight with brown or wild rice and vegetables .

Enjoy. The class sure loved them. I am still on my close to raw diet to lost weight before my surgery's so I did not have any. Sure sounds good!!!

Lentil Roast

My friend Jean L gave me this recipe to share with you. Her and her husband loved the roast. Jean got the recipe from the "cooking videos" tab.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cooked lentils

• 1 cup soy/rice milk


• 1/4 cup EVOO


• 1/2 cup chopped onion


• 1/2 cup chopped celery-Jean's addition


• 1/2 cup pecan meal-do in the blender


• 1 teaspoon garlic powder1 1/2 cups cornflakes-Jean use Erewhon from Festival Foods, organic


• 1 teaspoon salt-optional


• 1 Tablespoon ground Flax Seed if needed to thicken.


• Directions:


• Place lentils in a medium bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients, stirring after each addition.


• Put into a sprayed 8" by 8" casserole.


• Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

1. Top with Gravy or ketchup. Excellent with potatoes, salad and another vegetable.Jean says this recipe is so easy to make.
   
   Jean's Gravy Recipe:
   


2. In a pan saute diced onions,celery, garlic and mushrooms



3. Add about 2 cups vegetable broth..



4. Put into a blender and add1-2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast



5. 1-2 Tablespoons ground cashews



6. 2 Tablespoons cornstarch



7. Season with Mrs. Dash. Put back into the pan to thicken.

This recipe is easily modified to your taste.
Jean keeps this in the refrigerate to use whenever needed.

Thank you Jean. It sounds really yummy. Soon as I get to my goal, I will be making this.

Christmas Morning Wife Saver

Renee brought this to our potluck. I do not have a picture of it. She got the recipe from VegWeb.com
Thanks Renee.
This recipe sounds absolutely fabulous. I would enjoy it way too much if I was making it.
Give it a try and enjoy it lots.

Ingredients:
8 slices whole wheat bread, crust removed

8 slices vegan cheese

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 1 cup fresh spinach


• 3 egg replacers


• 1/4 cup onion, minced


• 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped


• Freshly ground pepper to taste


• 1 1/2 cups plain non-dairy milk


• 1/2 cup Earth Balance


• Crushed cornflakes

1. Directions:
   Spray a glass baking dish that is large enough to lay out 4 slices of bread.


2. Place 4 slices of bread in the pan.


3. Cover the bottom layer of bread with the cheese, mushrooms and spinach.


4. Cover with the other 4 slices of bread.


5. Prepare egg replacer according to the box. Mix in green peppers, onion, black pepper and milk replacer.


6. Pour over the casserole.


7. Cover and allow to sit over night in the frig. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.


8. Remove casserole from frig.


9. Pour melted Earth Balance over the top. Cover with crushed cornflakes.


10. Bake in oven uncovered 1 hour


11. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats

From ALicia Silverstone

Recipe can be found at http://wwwnutritionmd.org

Jean Langenhuizen modified the recipe to make it more CHIP approved.

She brought this hugh stach of the treats. I noticed people were going back for seconds, as so many really enjoyed them. Thanks Jean for your generous contribution.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup to 1 cup brown rice syrup


• Jean eliminated the salt and added 1 teaspoon vanilla extract-no imitation please


• 3/4 cup peanut butter with oil drained off.


• 1 box brown rice crispy cereal-Jean used Erewhon Organic Crispy Brown Rice, Gluten Free, no salt added. She found this at Festival Foods.


• 1/2 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips. Jean melted cocoa chips and drizzled on top.


• For Christmas you can add cran-raisins, also raw pumpkin seeds.

Directions:

1. Heat rice syrup with vanilla in a saucepan over low heat.


2. When rice syrup liquefies, add peanut butter and stir until well combined and heated through.


3. Pour entire box of cereal into a large bowl.
   Pour rice syrup mixture over the top. Use your hands or a spatula to incorporate everything together.


4. Add chocolate chips or whatever else you are adding.


5. Press down into a 8by 8" or 9" by 13" baking dish.


6. Wet your hands to press down.


7. Let cool 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!

Christmas Salad

This is so quick and easy, and absolutely delicious, especially if you like raspberries. I am trying to lose weight so I did not have any dressing on this salad and it still was very enjoyable.
It is also very pretty.

Ingredients:

• Spinach-fresh, washed and dried on paper toweling.


• Raspberries-fresh, washed and dried.


• Dried cranberries


• Handful of flaxseecd-ground


• Walnuts, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl , Mix all ingredients together except nuts.

1. Put in individual bowls.


2. Top with Girard's Raspberry Dressing-This has 65 milligrams of sodium-very low


3. Sprinkle with nuts.

Enjoy!!

Sacrumptious Stuffed Pumpkin

Another dish that was at the potluck. I wish I knew who brought it, so I could give them credit for it, but many people commented on how good it was. Doesn't it look just so yummy!!! It is quite a bit of work but well worth it.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size pumpkin-6-8 lbs, about 14" across



• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Earth Balance



• 1 medium to large onion, chopped



• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped



• 1 cup brown and/or wild rice mixed, uncooked



• 1/4 cup red wine-If you can't drink it don't use it.



• 2 1/2-3 cups vegetable broth



• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon saffron



• 1 medium eggplant, approximately 1/2 lb.
  6 scallions, chopped



• 2 plus clove garlic, minced



• soy sauce-I would use worshershire sauce, low sodium



• 3-4 fresh carrots, peeled and thickly sliced(1/4 in)



• 1 1/3 cup cooked black beans



• 1 cup corn, cooked



• 1/2 cup slivered almonds



• 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds.



• salt (optional) and pepper to taste

Additions in this recipe may be really good, such as,
Mushrooms- chopped, apple-chopped, raisins or cranberries.

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.



2. Cut a 7" circle out of the top of the pumpkin.Carefully scrape out all of the seeds and stringy pulp. Sprinkle the inside with worchershire sauce., salt (optional) and pepper. Go easy on the salt. Set aside.



3. In a large skillet over medium heat melt the Earth Balance. Saute onion, celery until transparent.



4. Add the rice and stir until coated with the Earth Balance.



5. Stir in the wine, 2 1/2 cups of the broth, pepper and saffron. Stir well.



6. Cover the skillet, lower heat, cook for 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the both is absorbed. Add the remainder of the broth if needed.



7. While the rice is cooking wash the eggplant and slice. (do not peel). sprinkle both sides with salt and allow to "sweat" in a colander 20-30minutes. Rinse,drain, plot dry and cube the eggplant slices.



8. In a sprayed pan saute onions, garlic (and drained canned sliced mushrooms if using) for a few minutes. Add eggplant, and continue sauteing for 5 minutes, Add carrots and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring constantly.



9. Combine the rice,nuts, seeds, eggplant, carrots, beans and corn,



10. Toss lightly, add seasonings to taste.



11. Stuff mixture back into pumpkin. Replace the lid of the pumpkin.



12. Put the pumpkin in a shallow baking dish. Bake about 1 hour or until soft to the touch, and beginning to blister,



13. Serve hot, scooping out generous servings of pumpkin with the filling.

Serves 6-8

If I were making this I would go very easy on the salt and worchershire sauce, an add some of my Braggs Organic Sprinkles. 24 Herbs & Spice Seasoning, if needed at the end before stuffing pumpkin. Comments are Verna's

This will make quite a statment on your table!!!

.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes with Walnuts

This was brought to the potluck last week. I did not try it.. I was told it was really good. Have you ever roasted grapes before? They end up being very sweet,aand of course all veggies become sweet with roasting.
Ingredients:

• 24 oz. brussel sprouts-about 8 cups, halved or quarted if large



• 24 oz red grapes-about 4 cups



• 2 Tabelspoon EVOO



• 4 Tabelspoon fresh thyme



• coarse salt-optional



• Freshly ground black pepper



• 1/2 cup plus walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, toss brussel sprouts, grapes with oil. Put on two rimmed baking sheets.



2. Season with thme, pepper an salt if using.



3. Roast until carmelized and tender about 20 minutes.



4. Drizzle each tray with 1 teaspoon vinegar and scrape up any carmelized bits wth a wooden spoon.



5. Toss in toasted walnuts.

Comments from Verna's Kitchen:

1. I would not use any salt.



2. Also I would probably cut back on EVOO.



3. If I were doing this I would use a balsamic vinegar in place on the white vinegar.

Tomato Florentine Soup

This was brought to the potluck on Wednesday evening. Many mentioned how good it was.

I did not have any as I am trying to eat mostly vegetables and fruit.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion-chopped


• 2 clove garlic-minced


• 1 Tablespoon olive oil


• 2 1-lb. cans tomato sauce-low sodium


• 1 16 oz can diced tomato's


• 1 bay leaf


• 2/3-1cup plain soy creamer or 1/2 cup raw cashews blended in 1 cup water


• 1 Tablespoon sucanat


• 1 teaspoon oregano


• 1 teaspoon basil


• 1 teaspoon garlic powder


• 1 teaspoon onion powder


• 2 cups washed and chopped spinach

Directions:

1. Saute onion and garlic in a sprayed kettle.


2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaf, and seasonings.


3. Simmer 1/2 hour, and add spinach and soy creamer.


4. Simmer another 5 minutes.


5. Serves 6

Verna's notes:

1. I would not use the oil. Instead I would put in a sprayed kettle.


2. In stead of sucanat I would use stevia or agave nectar.


3. I would use my immersion blender at the end to make it nice and creamy.

Enjoy!!!

December Alumni Potluck

What a great group of people we had for the potluck. 43 were in attendance with me.

The food was fabulous, what a treat when you don't have to make it yourself.

Gordon Cole from the Olive Cellar was out guest speaker. Everyone seemed to enjoy what he had to say. the Olive Cellar is a great place to get a Christmas Gift for that person in your life that you don't know what to get them.

Many of you were not able to make it because of previous plans. Know that you were greatly missed. Hopefully next month we will see you at our Alumni Get Together to see the DVD Forks over Knives at the Appleton Public Library.

If you were at the potluck and your picture is not on my blog, please forgive me. Gordon Cole and a few did not turn out. I will get you twice next month.

Have a great day.

Tomato Basil Soup

I need reconstructive surgery on my feet. I decided to help the recovery time from surgery by eating as healthy as I possibly can. Oh yes the CHIP Program is healthy, but I was pushing the bread way to much, to many yummy foods that I need to cut back on. (like desserts) I need to get back on the fresh greens, and fresh fruit etc. as I know losing weight will help the recovery time.

If I where making this before my new resolution I probably would have put some soy creamer in this recipe at the last few minutes to make it more creamy

It actually was very good this way. This is a combination of several recipes, with some stuff left out.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth-low sodium



• 2-3 oz. of tomato paste-low sodium-go easy



• 3 cups fresh tomatoes-chopped, unpeeled



• Fresh basil rolled and cut in ribbons



• 1-2 clove garlic, crushed and minced



• 3 Tablespoon onion chopped



• 2 stalks celery=chopped



• 1 teaspoon garlic powder



• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano



• 1/4 teaspoon dried sweet basil



• pinch of marjoram



• 2 bay leaves



• 1 teaspoon or so of Agave Nectar



• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Saute onions, garlic, celery in a lightly sprayed pan.



2. Pour all ingredients except fresh basil in a food processor and blend.



3. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and blend with an immersion blender.

Serve hot with fresh basil on top.

Enjoy!!!!

Santa Claus with Mrs Santa

On the float at the parade.

Of course Mrs. Santa is me. Santa Claus is Tom Langenhuzen.., Jeans husband. Doesn't he look great!!!!

What a fun night! We were in the parade out at Freedom,

. It rained all day long. The rain stopped about an hour before the parade and didn't start raining until we were on the way home. Thank God for that, as I did not want to get wet and sick.

It sure was a great time. Many people had their little babies at the parade. We couldn't have asked for a nicer evening.

Thanks Tom and Jean for a great time.