David and Cathy's place

(one serving, 15 to 20 minutes of prep time)

• 2/3 red bell pepper
• ¼ whole medium-size onion
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 2/3 cup pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup low sodium salsa
• 1 tortilla (6 inches)
• ¾ cup squash, zucchini or yellow

Rinse and cut the peppers, onion, and zucchini into thin vertical slices. Heat olive oil in a skillet to medium heat and add the vegetables. Stir-fry about 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, but still crunchy. Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic power and beans. Cook about 3-4 minutes. Stir in salsa to mix thoroughly and cook for another minute.

Notes:

• There is typically enough filling for two tortillas.
• The mix is a bit sloppy but good.

(one serving, 15 to 20 minutes of prep time)

• 3 oz of lean sirloin beef
• 1 clove of garlic
• ½ tsp olive oil
• ½ bell pepper
• 1 cup fresh broccoli
• 1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
• ¼ onion, small

Prepare rice according to the recipe, omit salt (brown rice is healthier but it takes an hour, cook it ahead of time).  Core, seed and chop pepper, onion, and broccoli, set aside.  Mince garlic, set aside. Cut beef into thin strips and set-aside. Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking-spray and heat on medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until just golden. Increase heat to medium-high, add beef, vegetables, teriyaki sauce and olive oil and stir-fry until beef is no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

(one serving, 15 to 20 minutes of prep time)

• 1 cup vegetable or beef broth
• ¼ cut evaporated nonfat milk
• 1 oz barley
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 cup fresh mushroom (about4 oz of mushrooms)
• ¼ cup white beans, canned, rinsed and drained
• ¼ onion, small
• ¼ Tbsp olive oil

Drain and rinse beans in a colander and set aside. Chop onion and slice mushrooms. Heat oil in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat and sauté onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook about 5 minutes more. Add broth, milk, barley, beans and parsley. Cover and simmer until barley is tender, about 12 minutes. Season with black paper.

(one serving, 15 to 20 minutes of prep time)

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 5 baby carrots
• 2 green onions
• 2 large celery stalks
• 1 clove of garlic
• ½ cup canned, crushed tomatoes (low sodium)
• ½ cut chicken broth, low fat and low sodium
• 1 small 3 oz potato
• ½ tsp oregano
• 2 ½ oz chicken breast boned and skinless
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley

Slice carrots, green onion, celery and garlic. Cube potato and set aside. In a medium, non stick saucepan, heat half the oil, add sliced vegetable, and sauté until garlic is lightly browned. Pour in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then add potatoes and oregano. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse chicken breast and chop into cubes. In a small non-stick skillet, heat the remaining oil and add chicken when hot. Cook chicken until well cooked, about 5-6 minutes. When chicken is done, add to saucepan, stir in fresh parsley, reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes or so. If liquid reduces too much, add water to taste and allow to heat through a little longer to blend the flavors.

The quintessential New Orleans dish, traditionally served on Mondays (from John King, who works with me)

• 1 pound red kidney beans, dry
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 5 ribs celery, chopped
• As much garlic as you like, minced (I like lots, 5 or 6 cloves)
• 1 to 1-1/2 pounds mild or hot smoked sausage or andouille, sliced on the bias
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• As many dashes Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco as you like, to taste [or red pepper if you prefer]
• A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
• Creole seasoning blend, to taste; OR red pepper and black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

Soak the beans overnight. The next day, drain and put fresh water in the pot.  Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about 45 – 60 minutes, until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

While the beans are boiling, sauté the trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

After the beans are boiled drain about 75% of the liquid.  Add the sautéed vegetables, the ham hock (or ham), smoked sausage, seasonings, and just enough water to cover the beans.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for at least 2 hours, preferably 3 until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it does not burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot.  If it’s still not getting creamy (beans are old), take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir.

If you can … let the beans cool, put them in the fridge, and reheat and serve for dinner the next day. They will taste a LOT better. When you do this, you will need to add a little water to get them to the right consistency.

YIELD: 8 servings

Serve over hot white long-grain rice with a few dashes of Tabasco sauce and French bread.

A lot of this is going to be trial-and-error, and it’s going to take a little practice before you get it right.  You’ll probably want to fiddle with it each time you make it, and arrive at the exact, instinctual combinations of seasonings that you like. Feel free to alter this recipe to your taste, but don’t stray too far.

[this is the healthiest muffin we know of and still good tasting; Cathy often doubles the recipe). We got the recipe off Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed meal (with essential Omega 3 fats].

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup unbleached white flour
• ¾ cup flaxseed meal
• ¾ cup oat bran
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking power
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 ½ cups carrots, shredded
• 2 apples, peeled and shredded
• ½ cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup nuts, chopped
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

• Mix together flour, flaxseed, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
• Stir in carrots, applies, raisins, and nuts.
• Combine milk, beaten eggs, and vanilla.
• Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients.
• Stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.
• Fill muffin cups ¾ full.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Yields 15 medium muffins.

Below is the granola recipe that Cathy makes and we all love. It takes Cathy about 5 to 10 minutes to measure, mix, etc. It then takes about 1½ hours to bake over low heat. It takes some planning to get all the ingredients but the taste is well worth the haste.

It makes 12 cups (36 1/3 cup serving).

Dry ingredients:

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats (non-quick oats)
• 2 cups rolled wheat (you may need to go to health food store to obtain; alternatively:  just add two more cups of oats)
• 1 cup unprocessed oat or wheat bran (at the grocery store)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup nonfat dry milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ to 1 cups raw unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 to 2 cups slivered almonds
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 cup chopped apples or pineapples [or other dried fruit like cranberries]
• 1 cup coconut (optional)

Mix the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Prepare sauce: Mix ½ cup oil, 1 cup water, ¾ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in blender. Mix on low.

Pour sauce over dry ingredients. Stir until well mixed.

Spread mixture on a large baking sheet. Bake in a 200 degree oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until golden and almost dry.  Occasionally stir.  Break into bite-sized pieces.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use as cold cereal or on top of yogurt and fruit.

Note: I do not like to eat first thing in the morning. So I pack the following mix in a sandwich bag and take it to work. There I have a bowl. I add water and heat it for a 1 min and 40 seconds. If we have bananas in the house, I add it to my oatmeal after cooking. Otherwise, I just pack another piece of fruit to have with it.

• ½ cup oatmeal (regular oats, not quick oats)
• About a tablespoon of each of the following:
  • Peanuts (or other nuts, we do unsalted peanuts)
  • Raisins
  • Brown sugar
• Heaping teaspoon of ground flax (a great source of essential Omega 3 fats – more on this later)

[quick and easy; good for portion control]

Use one whole wheat pita bread or flat bread / person

Grease or spray a cookie sheet. Pre-heat oven to 415 degrees

Sauce: (the amount below is enough for several “pizzas”; store what you have left over for the next time)

8 oz can of tomato sauce
Garlic power
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese

Spread sauce on pita bread

Add onion, green pepper (or artichoke hearts; whatever vegetables are desired).

If desired, add a small amount of meat (e.g. Canadian bacon or pepperoni).

Add a bit of mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 415 degrees for 10-12 minutes (you can do it in a toaster oven).

(single serving; from Cathy’s diet plan)

2 cups fresh spinach or Romaine lettuce – tear up; put on plate
1/3 cup cooked rice (brown rice would be healthier) – Warm and put on the greens.

4 oz of chicken – cut up in small pieces, brown in one teaspoon sesame oil.
Sprinkle on onion and garlic power to taste while sautéing.

1 ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds – add to chicken and brown a bit longer.

Add the chicken, tomatoes, and other vegetables (cucumbers, zucchini, etc.) to the salad

Eat with 1-2 tablespoons of Olive oil-based salad dressing.