Recipes Health for Life
Let's Cook!
Just because we can't meet, doesn't mean we can't cook! Here are recipes that are 'mine' so I can share them.
Dump Soup POSTED April 15, 2020
Despite it's name, this is a very tasty soup!
This is also a great soup for good nutrition. Take control of your life! Reduce your risk factors for diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity by eating a whole-food, plant-based diet.
I was making this soup and realized others might like the idea. So on a whim, I made a video of how to make it. I'm not a fancy person, and this is not a fancy video!
Ingredient Ideas
Cabbage
Onion
Celery
Cauliflower
Carrots
Spinach
Broccoli
Beans (I like white or garbanzo etc)
Zucchini
Summer squash
Other squash
Red bell pepper
Spaghetti sauce OR
- Basil
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Parsley
- Canned tomatoes (I like petite diced tomatoes - but if you have leftover tomato sauce, paste etc, put it in there)
Basically you can put in anything you have in your fridge!
Serve as a soup, or over rice, or quinoa, or over noodles etc... Reheats well. I don't think this would freeze well.
Spanakopita "Spinach Pie" POSTED April 3, 2020
Filling:
One recipe Almond Feta (see below)
2 T. dill (dry)
2 T. parsley (dry)
Pinch oregano – optional
1 bunch green onions thinly sliced (or 1 onion chopped and sautéed)
12-24 oz spinach cooked, drained (squeeze out most of the water) and finely chopped
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1 roll filo dough (thawed)
Vegan butter, melted (approx 1/3 cup??)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients above EXCEPT filo dough and melted butter. Taste and adjust salt and seasonings. If you add more spinach you might want more seasonings. Set aside.
Butter an 8x8" glass baking dish. Take two filo sheets at a time - lay two so they hang over the edges, rotate pan and add another two sheets so all sides of the pan should have dough hanging over the edge. Using a spoon, drizzle some of the butter and spread it around on top of the filo in the bottom of the pan. Repeat layers of filo until you have used all but about 4-6 pieces of the filo. Don't worry if they tear.
Now spread the spinach and 'cheese' mixture in the bottom. Fold the filo dough that has been hanging out over the edges in over the edges of the filling. You will have like a frame of filo around the edges of the pan. You can spread a bit of butter between these layers if you want. Now take the leftover pieces and crumple them a bit and lay them over the top of the pie until all of the filling is covered. Drizzle with some melted butter.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until the pie is golden.
Make ahead notes: The whole mix of almond feta with spinach etc can be made ahead and refrigerated for several days, or frozen. Just allow to thaw before using...
Gluten Free and more whole-food version of Spanakopita
Instead of using filo dough, use campari or roma tomatoes, or mini bell peppers.
Slice the top off of the campari and scrape out the seeds and pulp. Slice roma tomatoes long-ways and scrape out seeds and pulp, Or slice mini bell peppers side ways and scrape out seeds and ribs. Lightly salt the inside of the vegetables (optional), then fill with the spanakopita filling.
Bake appetizers at 400. Tomatoes for 12-15 minutes, peppers for about 20 minutes.
Almond Feta
1 ½ cups almond flour (I have not had good luck buying this from Walmart - it has been stale. Costco would be my choice)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil (optional – not used for the cooking class)
½ cup water
Combine almond flour, garlic powder and salt. Add water and lemon juice and oil if desired.
Stir well. Taste and adjust salt or lemon to increase tang.
Can be used immediately, but if left overnight, the almond flour will absorb more of the flavor and will thicken up and the flavors will combine nicely. Will keep in fridge for about a week, or can freeze for a couple of months.
Serve Spanakopita with a lentil salad (use lentils in place of grains in a tabouli salad) , or green salad, or Greek baked vegetables - pinterest has some good ideas.
If these recipes are helpful to you, let me know and I'll try to put more of them on here.
Here is a recipe for a salad dressing that I LOVE. You can replace up to half of the nuts with white beans to reduce the fat and calories in the recipe, and get more legumes in your diet...and help stabilize your blood sugar...and beans are cheaper! ( I use BOTH parsley and dill in this recipe)
Other ways to use the Almond Feta:
Spread on French or Italian bread. Broil - SO good topped with bruschetta :)
Spread on pizza crust and top with favorite pizza toppings - I suggest chopping some sundried tomatoes and mixing those in with the almond feta. Top feta with fresh spinach, fresh tomatoes, thinly cut onions, olives etc. Bake as you would normally bake pizza.