Sunday, Jan. 29th---Red Peppers

Just wanted to let you know:
I was at Woodman's this morning and they have ,
red peppers on sale 2 for $1.00.
They are about 6" long and are just beautiful.
This is a perfect time to prepare Roasted Red Peppers and freeze for future use.
Hopefully you will get a chance to get a bunch of them and safe money in the process.

Verna's Brochette

Jean L. Treated me to breakfast at Plum Hill in Kaukauna. We did not have the typical meal. We ordered off the appetizers list and had black bean burgers and brochette, which I tried to make a healthy version of it . It was so very good.

Ingredients:

• Thin baguette-low sodium- cut in 1/3-1/2" rounds and toasted on both sides


• 10 oz. of fresh spinach-chopped


• 1 medium onion-chopped


• 2-3 garlic cloves-chopped


• 2 stalks of celery-chopped


• 1 apple-chopped


• 1teaspoon Wylers Chicken Bullion


• 1/4-1/3 cup of vegetable broth


• daiya Mozzarella Cheese


• Frog Ranch Salsa

Directions:

1. Saute onions, celery and garlic in broth.


2. Add the apple and spinach.


3. Saute until spinach is wilted and all broth is cooked away.


4. Put small amount on tosted baguette.


5. Top with cheese. Put under broiler until cheese is melted.


6. Serve with Frog Ranch Salsa.

I chopped everything in the food processor. One ingredient at a time.

Enjoy!!

Mushroom Wild Rice Bake

A friend brought me this Wild Rice Bake yesterday. She found the recipe in the Penzey's Magazine.

It was really tasty but needed a little more pepper and a touch of Sriracha Sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups wild rice


• 2 cups boiling water


• 2 Tablespoons Earth Balance


• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced


• 1 onion, chopped


• 1/2 cup sliced almonds


• 3 cups broth-add 2-3 low sodium chicken bullion


• 1 1/2 cups soy creamer


• 2 teaspoons Mural of Flavor-from Penzey's


• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


• 3 Tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Soak the wild rice in the boiling water, covered for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.


2. In a large skillet melt the Earth Balance over medium heat.


3. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.


4. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except Parmesan Cheese.


5. Mix well. Transfer to a sprayed 2 1/2 quart baking dish.


6. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes. Uncover an bake another 10-15 minutes


7. If all the ingredients is not absorbed sprinkle with cheese and bake another 10 minutes.


8. Place on low-broil to brown the cheese.

Enjoy!!

Marinated Apple Relish

As I mentioned I am trying to lose weight for my up-coming surgery. So--- I have been trying to stay pretty close to the raw end of the CHIP Spectrum. I made this this morning and will have for lunch. It is really good. Give it a try if you want to eat really healthy.

Ingredients:

• 3 apples finely minced


• 3-4 stalks of celery, minced


• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar-the recipe called for a lot more, but it was to strong.


• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice


• 2 teaspoons red onion, minced


• Dash of low sodium Worcestershire sauce


• Freshly ground black pepper to taste.


• Add a squirt of agave nectar to taste.


• Directions:

1. Everything that needed to be chopped I did in the food processor, one ingredient at a time.


2. Mix liquid ingredients and pour over apple mixture.


3. Marinated in frig. for at least 30 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!!!

Lemony Green Beans

My friends Jean and Tom gave me lots of green beans this last summer and I am enjoying them a lot with this recipe. These beans are out of my garden and somewhat over grown but still very enjoyable.

Oh these are so very good--even if you are not trying to lose weight.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh or frozen green beans


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• Grate off some lemon zest before you squeeze the lemon


• 1/2 lemon -juiced-I used more


• 4-8 dashes of pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the garlic in the lemon juice for a minute or so.


2. Add the rest of the ingredients.


3. Cook the beans, do not over cook as you want them crunchy.

"yum"

I fix my fresh asparagus this way also.

Tip:

We all have heard many times do record every thing you put in your mouth.

I started doing this a few months ago and it really helps. I always hated taking the time to do this, but it sure is helpful. Give it a try if you want to lose weight!

Muhammara

Al and Jo Ann Hoff brought this recipe to the Alumni Get Together last Wednesday. Several people asked for the recipe. They said it was really great.

Muhammara
Ingredients:
2 Roasted red peppers, skin and seeds removed-or a 12 oz. jar of roasted red peppers
1 cup walnuts
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice-freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic, chopped garlic

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor-until coarse puree forms

Serve with crackers or pita chips

How do you like that for easy!!

Enjoy!

Spinach-Strawberry Salad -- Spinach- Raspberry Salad

These are two different salads that I have been enjoying whenever I can get raspberries or strawberries at a decent price.

top salad I put sunflower seeds on and the bottom I put chopped walnuts on.

Ingredients:

• 1 package baby spinach


• 1 pint strawberries, hulled or raspberries
  1 small red onion, chopped


• sesame seeds, sunflower seeds-toasted or nuts of choice


• 
  

Dressing:

This is a dressing that I like to use. It is my concoction, but use what you enjoy. The total amount of this dressing should be about 1/2 cup. Add or delete to your taste.

• About 2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard


• 1-2 clove garlic-minced fine


• 1/4 teaspoon thyme


• garlic wine vinegar-slight 1/4 cup-go easy you can always add more


• In place of oil, I used a slight 1/4 cup of water


• Agave Nectar to taste.

Just a reminder:

It is really important to be drinking your water. If you feel hungry between meals-try water. Do not drink water while you are eating your meal. You fill up on water and you will find yourself hungry in a short time.

Happy New Year

Can you believe we are celebrating another New Year. Where oh where does the time go!!
It seems like 2011 just flew by. with such a late spring that we had, and July being hot and humid, (which kept me indoors a lot), it just seeded like Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas where upon us way too soon.

Well it is 2012, if we want it to be or not, it is here!!!
I so wish everyone a wonderful, Blessed New Year. May this year be even better than last year for you.

One of my goals for me this year is to get down to the weight that I should be at. CHIP is a wonderful program that saved my life and I highly recommend it. The trouble I have been having is I was on the far-stretching end of CHIP to see how much I could get away with. Not good, as I did put on weight.

This year, my goal is to eat more raw foods as grown. (which I should have been doing all along) and which is CHIPS motto. I did it the first few years of CHIP which was very successful for me.

Anyway I am back on track today-January 1. Actually I had been doing it the last six weeks and lost 20 lbs. Christmas Holidays was difficult as I had 10 places to go to. I am suppose to be at friends today watching the Packer Game (with friends, I saw yesterday) so I am bowing out and getting back on track as I feel lousy from eating foods that I shouldn't have been eating.

I will be posting more CHIP, closer to raw recipes on my blog in the future.
Dr. Diehl would highly approve, especially if we need to lose weight.
While traveling with Dr. Diehl, I met a doctor from Japan, who lives in Texas and eats totally raw. She has been trying to encourage me to do this for sometime. I am not going totally raw but going more in that direction, where I have found great success.

The last few speaking engagements I had I bowed out as I was way too embarressed by my weight gain.
At the same time I was justifying it with the CHIP Class, as technically I was still on CHIP. Just the wrong end. (which is better for people who don't need to lose weight) That sure was not me!!! Don't we kid ourselves!!!

How do you like this for honest confession!!!!

Dr. Kay would say, eat greens and beans.

I need to stay away from bread as that became one of my downfalls, as well as eating snacks in the evening. Oh yes, they where CHIP approved snacks, but not good for me. Eating at night was a bad habit I piked up.
Plus those healthy desserts, that I was making. Way too good and way too tempting for me. Even freezing them was to no avail. So back to fresh fruit for desserts. Be careful with too much fresh fruit as it will raise your triglycerides.

Well here I go as of today, January 1st.
If you would like to become healthier, and would like to try this adventure with me, let's just do it.!!!!!

On one of my earlier posts a few days ago, I shared some of the foods I cut out.

Happy Healthy New Year to all my blogger friends!!

Oh yes and you will see in the future, more CHIP truly healthier recipes on my blog.

Let's be good and truly get healthy this year and no more justify for me!!!