Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Core or Advanced Plan

Serves: 4-6

Here is a simply beautiful, elegant, easy to do dessert.  Make these for your sweetheart or to impress your friends.
-1 lb large organic strawberries
-8 oz. organic cream cheese, softened
-1/2 tsp – 1 tsp spoonable stevia (this is to taste so sweeten it to your liking)
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-lightly toasted almond flour (watch it very carefully, it will brown quickly!) 
1. Rinse strawberries and cut off the very tip of the strawberry so that it will stand up.  Remove the green top and scrape out a hole with a paring knife. .  Prep all strawberries and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, stevia, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off or simply spoon it in with a small spoon. Fill the remaining strawberries with cheesecake mixture. Dip the filled strawberries in the toasted almond flour.   Refrigerate until serving.

Coconut Soup

Advanced & Core Plan Approved:

Serves: 4

This is a terrific restaurant style soup.  It’s flavors excite the palate and matches well with any kind of stir fry.

TIP:  Buy several lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves, cut them and freeze them.  They will last up to a year in the freezer and can be popped into the soup from frozen.

• 2 (13.5 ounce) cans canned coconut milk (BPA free cans)
• 2 cups filtered water
• 1 (1 inch) piece lemon grass stalk
• 10 kaffir lime leaves
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (check ingredients)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon green onion and/or parsley, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• cooked chicken, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Pour the coconut milk and 2 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a simmer. Add the lemon grass, and lime leaves; simmer for 10 minutes, or until the flavors are infused. Strain the coconut milk into a new pan and discard the spices. Simmer the mushrooms in the coconut milk for five minutes. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, chicken (if desired), and curry powder. (You can add more curry powder if desired)
2. To serve, ladle into a bowl and garnish with green onion and parsley

Wilted Escarole with Beans

This hearty soup is loaded with nutritious greens.  It is perfect for taking the  leftovers for lunch the next day.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound escarole, chopped
Sea Salt
4 cups organic chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan

Optional:  grate more parmesan cheese and place on piles on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees until browned and holds it shape.  Serve with the soup.  NOTE:  the parmesan crisps will melt when put in hot soup so you may want to serve them on the side.

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute about 15 seconds. Add the escarole and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Add the chicken broth, beans, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and simmer until the beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Egg Foo Yung

Advanced Plan

Serves:  4

Egg Foo Yung is a versatile dish that is perfect for a quick meal or when you didn’t make plans for dinner.  It is nutritious and makes a lovely presentation.

8 eggs, beaten

Traditional add ins:
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup diced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped cooked organic chicken breast
1/3 cup cooked and crumbled grass fed ground beef
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Other substitutions:
juilienned zucchini
red cabbage
grated onion

FOO YUNG SAUCE

1 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
2 tablespoons organic tamari or liquid aminos
6 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

Directions

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add the celery, onion, bean sprouts, mushrooms, chicken, beef, salt and pepper. Mix together.  Heat coconut or grapseed oil in a medium skillet or wok and brown egg mixture 1/2 cup at a time. When all of the mixture is browned, set aside.

To Make Sauce:

Heat the chicken broth in a small saucepan; add tamari and blend well over medium heat. Add cold water and arrowroot powder and stir until thick and smooth. Serve with Egg Foo Yung.

In photograph:  zucchini, red cabbage, green onion and chopped chicken

Oven Roasted Chicken with Red Pepper Sauce

This is one of those “go-to” meals that is easy to do, uses common ingredients, is great for lunch the next day, and is appealing to everyone.  When buying red bell peppers, buy a few extra.  When you get them home, seed and slice the ones you have left, wrap them in parchment paper, put in a freezer bag and save for later.  You can use the frozen peppers in this sauce, to add to stir frys, soups, hummus, etc.

Serves:  4

Advanced & Core Plan

2 organic red bell peppers

3-4 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tbsp smoked paprika

Zest + Juice of 2 limes

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp dried cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

6 Chicken breasts or chicken parts (bone-in, skin removed if desired)

1 cup organic chicken stock

Cilantro, for garnish

Process all ingredients (except chicken and cilantro) in a food processor until smooth.  Pour over chicken and marinate for 4hrs to overnight.

Heat skillet to med-high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons coconut or grapeseed oil.  Brown chicken for about 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a baking dish.  Add remaining marinade and 1 cup chicken stock.  Bake at 350 degrees for another 25-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Garnish with cilantro if desired

Hot and Sour Soup

This is a great restaurant-esque soup that you can pull together in a jiffy.  I like to make it from post-Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey broth.  (Just boil the carcass in filtered water for several hours and pick off the turkey meat to go back in the broth).  In this picture, the mushrooms and bamboo shoots are left out.

Hot & Sour Soup

4 medium-size dried mushrooms
1 tablespoon dry sherry
4 cups chicken broth (or turkey broth)
1/2 pound chicken breasts, skinned, boned, cut in matchstick pieces (or leftover turkey)
1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots, cut in matchstick pieces
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Tamari sauce
2 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1/4 cup water
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 organic egg, lightly beaten
2 whole green onions, cut in 1 inch diagonal slices
Salt

Cover mushrooms with warm water, let stand for 30 minutes, then drain.  Cut
off and discard stems; squeeze mushrooms dry and thinly slice.  In a 2-quart pan, heat chicken broth to boiling.  Add sherry, mushrooms, chicken, and bamboo shoots.  Stir , then reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Add  wine vinegar, and tamari sauce; heat, uncovered, for 1 minute.  Blend arrowroot powder and water.  Add to soup and cook, stirring, until slightly
thickened.  Turn of heat.  Add pepper and sesame oil.
Stirring continuously, slowly pour egg into soup.  Sprinkle with onion and
salt to taste

*Recipe inspired by a close family friend – thanks Kathy and my dad who inspired me into making it with my turkey leftovers.

Brined Holiday Turkey

This was by far, the best holiday turkey I’ve made to date.  The brining process guarantees a tender, flavorful turkey.  You will not believe the difference!  After brining, I follow my “regular” turkey recipe from my book.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup salt
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• cold water to completely cover turkey

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Place salt, lemons, oranges, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and pepper into a large pot. Place the turkey in the pot, and fill with water and two large bowls of ice. Refrigerate overnight. Discard brine after removing turkey.
2. Proceed with your normal turkey preparation process (you will not need much salt because the turkey will already be salty from the brine)

Here was the final result, golden, moist, and delicious!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Advanced Plan

Makes enough for appetizers for 4-6 people

This recipe gets rave reviews whenever I make it.  People always ask what is in them.  The best part about it is that it is only 3 ingredients, takes literally minutes to make, and tastes delicious.  They are great for parties or as a quick snack.  These are a perfect example of how simple ingredients can result in amazing taste.

1 pint container of button or baby bella mushrooms – stems removed and cleaned with a damp towel

1/2 brick organic cream cheese. softened

6 slices uncured turkey bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the cream cheese with the chopped bacon and fill each mushroom cap.  You will want a small mound on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

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