Sweet and Salty Sweet Potato Puree

Sweet and Salty Sweet Potato Puree

Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced in 1″ cubes
• 1/2 c milk
• 2 T butter
• 2 T honey
• 1 T + 1/4 t  kosher salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch clove
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, halved
• 1/2 T brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked sweet potatoes, milk, butter, honey. 1T salt and spices.
4. Mix with a hand mixer on low until potatoes are mashed, about 2 minutes.
5. Increase mixer speed to high. Mix until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
6. Fold in chopped pecans, reserving about a tablespoon for later.
7. Place sweet potato mixture in a 9×13 baking dish. Smooth out top.
8. Outline border of pan with halved pecans.
9. Sprinkle center with remaining chopped pecans.
10. Lightly sprinkle remaining salt over entire dish.
11. Lightly sprinkle brown sugar over entire dish.
12. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:

• 24 oz fresh cranberries
• 4 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple, finely diced
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 2 T honey
• 1/4 c fresh orange juice

Instructions:

1. Sort, clean, and blanch* cranberries.
2. Combine cranberries and oranges in a food processor. Process until cranberries are finely chopped.
3. Add apples, pecans, honey, and orange juice. Mix well.
4. Serve chilled.

 

*Blanching brings out the vibrant color and flavor of an ingredient by quickly dipping in boiling water and then immediately setting in iced water. The skin on the cranberries will pop, this has no affect on the quality of the finished product.

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (Short-Cut Version)

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 corn tortillas, lightly fried
• 1 package dehydrated refried beans (or 1 can), prepared according to package
• 2 c leftover roast chicken, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 c shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup of your favorite organic salsa
• 4 eggs, individually fried over easy

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 T salsa in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and heat thoroughly, about 2 minutes.
2. Spread 2-3 T beans over 1 corn tortilla.
3. Layer 1/4 c of chicken over beans.
4. Lightly sprinkle cheese over chicken.
5. Cover with 1 tortilla. Repeat steps 2-4.
6. Top stack with 3 heaping T of salsa.
7. Heat in microwave to melt cheese.
8. Top with fried egg.
9. Repeat steps 2-8 for each serving.

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 c leftover roast chicken, chopped
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 c crisp, sweet apple (i.e. gala or honeycrisp), diced
• 2 T mayonaise
• 1 T spicy brown mustard
• 2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 t dill
• pinch kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Put all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
2. Best served chilled.

Healthy Boston Baked Beans

*no nitrites or other preservatives, very little salt, no refined sugars, and added vitamins and minerals.

Healthy Boston Baked Beans

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry navy beans, presoaked overnight
• 3/4 cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 T pure honey
• 1 t worcestershire sauce
• 1 t apple cider vinegar
• 1 T fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup no sodium tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 t dry mustard
• 2 t kosher salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 white onion
• 6 oz nitrite free bacon
• 3.5 cups low sodium, organic chicken stock

Instructions:

1. Wisk molasses, honey, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, orange juice, tomato sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sauce begins to bubble, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Spray a large crockpot with cooking spray.
3. Cut onion into thin rounds. Layer one third of onions on bottom of crockpot.
4. Spread one third of beans over onion.
5. Pour one third of sauce over beans.
6. Layer one third of bacon over beans.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 two more times.
8. Set crock pot to high for 6 hours.

Israeli Couscous and Corn Salad

Israeli Couscous and Corn Salad

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 c dry Israeli couscous
• 1.5 c low sodium, organic chicken stock
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 c fresh corn, about 2 ears
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• pinch of red chile powder
• dash of clove
• 1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3/4 c tomato, seeded and diced
• 2 t apple cider vinegar (optional)
• 2 T Greek yogurt (optional)
• kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring couscous and stock to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.
2. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium low. Add corn, onion, garlic, red chile powder, clove, salt, and pepper.
3. Saute corn, about 5 minutes.
4. When couscous is ready, fluff with a fork.
5. Stir corn, cilantro, and tomato into couscous. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
6. Just before serving, wisk vinegar and yogurt together. Pour over couscous and fold in. Add salt and pepper if needed.

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Chicken Pot Pie Filling

Chicken Pot Pie Filling

makes 4, 9 inch pies; 6 servings to a pie

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 c fresh corn, about 2 ears
• 2 c baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 T all purpose flour
• 8 oz frozen peas
• 1/4 t rosemary
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1/4 t dried mustard
• 3/4 t dill
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1 c half and half
• 3 t corn starch (to thicken if needed)

Instructions:

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large stock put over medium high.
2. Add onions, carrot, celery, garlic, corn, and mushrooms. Cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.
3. Add chicken. Cook about 5 minutes, tossing chicken and vegetables together.
4. Add flour, frozen peas, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and dill. Stir well.
5. Add chicken broth. Turn heat to medium-low. Let simmer 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.
6. Add half and half and, if needed, corn starch. Let simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occassionally.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add to pie crusts or divide into four containers and freeze for later use.

Chili with Beans

Chili with Beans, spicy

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1 lb 90/10 ground sirloin
• 3 c small red beans
• 10 oz can diced tomatoes w/ jalapeno OR 1 1/4 c tomato, diced + 1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 2 t worchestershire sauce
• 2 chipotle peppers in mole sauce, finely chopped
• 1/4 t oregano
• 1 T paprika
• 1 T cumin
• 1 T light brown sugar
• 2 T chili powder
• 3 c water

Instructions:

1. Heat oil over medium high in a large skillet.
2. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, and salt. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add ground beef and brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Put beans in crock pot. Pour ground beef over beans.
5. Add remaining ingredients, except water, and mix well.
6. Add water. Cook on high for 6 hours. Lightly mash beans with potato masher for thicker consistency. 

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 2T unsalted butter
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 ribs celery with leaves, diced
• 1 1/2 c baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t kosher salt
• dash fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 c whole wheat all purpose flour
• 2.5 lb russet potatoes, 1″ cubes
• 5 c low sodium, free range chicken stock
• 1 t dill
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 c half and half
• 1 t corn starch

Instructions:

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
2. Add carrot, celery, mushrooms, onions, garlic and salt. Cook until translucent stirring occassionally, about 8 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir until completely incorporated. Slowly stir in 1 cup stock until smooth.
4. Put potatoes in large crock pot. Pour vegetables over potatoes.
5. Add dill and bay leaves, mix well.
6. Stir in remaining 4 cups of stock.
7. Cook on high for 4 hours.
8. Add corn starch to half and half and mix well.
9. Add half and half to soup, mix thoroughly.
10. Lightly mash potatoes for a thicker consistency.