Chicken and Mushrooms in Tomato Sauce

Creating a simple recipe by using most of the ingredients already on hand is a good way to enjoy easily-prepared, healthy meals every day. That has been my primary purpose to encourage people to start cooking more at home.

Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
5 oz white button mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
1 tbs tomato paste
1 fresh tomato, finely chopped
Fresh chives, cilantro, or green onions chopped

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add white onions and cook, stirring for 5 minutes until the onions are softened but not brown. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and cumin. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken, mushrooms, and tomato paste and stir until all the ingredients are blended. Add white wine and fresh, chopped tomato. Season with salt and black pepper. Turn heat down and simmer until sauce is thickened (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with chives, cilantro, or green onions on top, and serve immediately.

Fish and Homemade Tomato Soup

In less than 30 minutes, this hearty seafood soup will be served. Canned tomato soup can be used if fresh tomatoes are not available.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of fish, such as tilapia, cod, or catfish, cut into chunks
2 large tomatoes, blend in the Vitamix
2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white onions, chopped
1 cup white wine
2 tbs oil
Fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Green onions, chopped

Directions:
In a 5 quart soup pot over medium-high heat, add oil and then cook the garlic, onions, celery, and parsley for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, broth, and white wine. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add fish and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.

Stir-Fried Chicken and Green Peppers

Stir-fried dishes first need a good stir-fry sauce. Bottled stir-fried sauce with a good name is good but expensive, but most of the ingredients in the sauce are very easy to make at home. For a more complicated sauce, most cooks have to make a trip to an Asian grocery to buy more authentic ingredients, such as hoisin sauce, oyster, fermented black bean paste, etc. However, simply using soy sauce, sesame oil, dry sherry, and wine vinegar will easily create a simple stir-fried sauce. The rest of the dishes are up to each cook who uses  his or her own taste to add on the vegetables and the protein that is needed. Also, ginger and garlic are common spices used to give a stir-fry sauce an Asian flair. I sometimes add these spices at the beginning to flavor the meat, but these spices can be used just before adding the sauce, as well. To make a good stir-fried dish, the stir-fried sauce should not be cooked too long. Therefore, stir-fried dishes are quick and easy to put together for dinner.

Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, shredded
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp cooking wine
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs oil
Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs soy sauce
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry sherry
1 tsp cornstarch
Spices
1 tbs ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetables
2 cups green bell peppers, shredded
1 cup white onions, thinly sliced
Garnish with chopped green onions

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, soy sauce, wine, oil and cornstarch. Let meat marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat 1 tbs oil in wok. Briefly stir fry bell peppers and white onions. Remove from wok. Clean wok and add 1 tbs oil. Sauté the spices briefly. Then add chicken. Cook chicken until there is no trace of pink. Add sauce and bell peppers back. Turn heat to high and quickly add green onions. Mix them together. Serve.

Quick Sweet Apple Bread

This recipe is from a small community cook book that I had a chance to read a long time ago. The ingredients are so easy to remember, so every time I want to make quick bread for morning breakfast, I make this one. Double or triple the quantity of ingredients to feed a large crowd.

 Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 tbs chia seeds gel (mix 1/8 tsp chia seeds to 2 tbs water)
2 cups apples, peeled, coarsely chopped
Grease and flour an 8” x 4” loaf pan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and set aside.
Use a handheld mixer to beat sugar, oil, chia seeds gel, and eggs until smooth. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix with a few strokes. Stir in chopped apples and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Salmon with Mushroom, Tarragon Sauce

Salmon in mushroom tarragon sauce is a balanced approach to maintain a healthy diet. The usual heavy cream used to make this sauce will be replaced with skim milk. I found that Dijon mustard and the garlic also go well together in this recipe. Eating food in moderation will make every minute of eating every meal enjoyable. As always, small changes with yield big results!

Ingredients:
Two 6 oz salmon fillets with or without skin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs fresh chopped tarragon
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Directions:
To make sauce
In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Add onions and garlic. Stir and cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are softened (about 3 minutes). Add white wine. Cook until reduced in half. Meanwhile, mix skim milk, chicken broth, and cornstarch until well combined. Stir the broth in the pan. Add fresh tarragon. Bring broth to boil, and then simmer until thickened. Whisk in Dijon mustard and a lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm.
In another non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil and butter. Sprinkle salmon on both sides with about 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper. Grill salmon fillets for 3 minutes on each side. Place salmon onto a serving dish and pour the tarragon sauce on top.

Filet and Dijon Mustard Sauce

Grilled or pan fried fish with honey mustard sauce is a quick and easy meal to die for. It is an elegant meal that one can find in a small country inn served by a fireplace. It is a totally romantic meal!

Ingredients:
Two 6 oz tilapia fillets
Sauce:
3 tbs honey mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp brown sugar
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbs white wine
1 tbs cream horseradish
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Others:
1 tsp oil and butter for each fillet
1 white onion slice
Steamed broccoli or cabbage

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and mix well. Marinate the fillets in the sauce for 1 hour.
Remove the fillets and save the marinade for glaze. In a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add oil and butter. Place fish and grill 3 minutes on each side. Cook the marinade until thickened and brush both sides of the fillets.
To serve the fillets with caramelized onions:
Melt 1 tbs of butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat until foaming. Add 2 cups of halved and sliced paper thin onions. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and caramelized (about 30 minutes). Season well with salt and pepper.

 

Cinnamon Buns II

I think cinnamon buns are as American as apple pie, and these buns can also be on my worst diet list of foods that could jeopardize my waistline. Every cook has his or her own version. My recipe is made with mashed potatoes, which will improve the softness of the buns. The whole kitchen smells heavenly while baking these buns.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/4 cup plain mashed potatoes
1 egg
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs nonfat dry milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups bread flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
Filling:
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
Vanilla frosting:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs milk

Directions:
Put all the ingredients except the filling and frosting in the order listed above into a bread nachine's pan. Set the bread machine to the dough/manual setting. At the end of the dough cycle, remove and punch down the dough. Let dough rest for 5 minutes before hand shaping.
Prepare filling and frosting and set aside.
Generously sprinkle flour on the work surface. Roll out dough into a 16” x 12” rectangle. Spread the filling evenly onto the dough. Roll up dough in a jelly-roll fashion to form a 16 inch long cylinder. With a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into 12 twelve equal size pieces. Butter a 13” x 9” glass pan and place the 12 pieces, cut side up, into the pan (space 2 inches apart). Cover with kitchen towel and let rise for another hour or until double in size.
Preheat oven to 325°. Bake buns for 15 minutes. Increase the temperature to 350° and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely before frosting.
To make mashed potatoes, peel and cut medium potatoes into quarters. Boil until soft and tender. Drain. Use masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Cool to room temperature before using.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I love to order takeout sweet and sour chicken in the restaurant. The recipe below is simple to follow with easy instructions and measured ingredients for home preparation. Most of the ingredients for this recipe are in the kitchen of any cook who loves to prepare homemade meals. The greasy oil from deep frying meat in the restaurant will be replaced with very little oil for pan frying to make the meat succulent and crunchy without using the method of deep-frying in Chinese restaurants. It is a good choice for healthier diets and waistline watchers.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. of skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg white
2 tsp soy sauce
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
Oil for frying
Vegetables:
1/2 cup tomato cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup pineapple cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup white onion cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup celery slices
1/4 cup carrots, slices
Sweet and sour sauce:
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1/4 cup pineapple juice
3 tsp sugar
3 tbs ketchup
3 tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch

Garnish with green onions and cilantro
Serve with cooked rice

Directions:
Cut chicken into 2 inch cubes. Beat egg white and soy sauce and mix into chicken.
Put cornstarch in a shallow dish and dredge chicken into this mixture before frying.
Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the meat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Pour off all but 2 tbs of the oil from the wok. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add all the vegetables ingredients. Stir-fry briefly. Add the sauce and bring to boil. Add fried chicken and toss lightly to mix well with sauce. Top with green onions and cilantro. Serve.

Blackened Salmon with Cilantro Pesto

Blackening spice is a most popular spice to use for preparing fish or even chicken or pork. This simple spice is so flavorful with big results. It is standard on any spice rack on the market and is also easy to prepare at home. I suggest making this spice at home so the salt intake can be kept under control by any cook. I have included a recipe for blackening spice below.

Ingredients:
Two 6 oz salmon fillets
4 tbs blackening spice mix
1/4 tsp salt
Cilantro pesto
2 cups pack, cilantro leaves
1/2 cup blanched almond
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic,
1 tsp salt and pepper
Blackening Cajun Spice
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp white sugar
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoke paprika
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp dry oregano

1 empty shaker with lid

Directions:
To make blackening spice:
Combine all the Cajun spice ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Transfer into the shaker and store in the cool place.
To make cilantro pesto:
Place all the pesto ingredients in a blender except salt and pepper. Turn machine on and let it run for 1 minute. Taste with salt and pepper when it is done. Refrigerate until needed.
To prepare fish:
Rub both sides of salmon fillets with the blackening spice with 1 tbs of olive oil for each salmon. In a cast-iron grilling pan over medium-heat, place the fish onto the hot grill. Sprinkle with a little salt, if needed. Grill 3 minutes on each side of fish. Remove from the pan and serve with cilantro pesto.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Mushrooms and Onions

Stir-fry is a simple tasty dish, and it is quick to prepare for dinner. Adding chicken, beef, pork, or Tofu is another way to dress up this dish. The only thing left to make this stir-fry dish is the stir-fry sauce. It is not hard to make the stir-fry sauce at home but does require some time to master the taste of it.

 Ingredients:
1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken, sliced
1 tbs cooking wine,
1 tsp cornstarch
Vegetables
2 cups white onions, shredded
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
Others:
2 tbs fresh ginger, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 hot fresh hot chilli or 1 tsp chili flakes
3 green onions, cut into 2 inch lengths
Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbs soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs lime juice
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbs cooking wine, such as dry sherry, Shaoxing wine
Serve with:
Cooked rice or quinoa
Enough oil for stir-frying

Directions:
Combine chicken with cooking wine and cornstarch in a bowl and let marinade for 30 minutes. Add 1 tbs oil before cooking (this will help to separate the chicken).
Combine sauce ingredients in another bowl and mix well.
Have all the vegetables ingredients ready before starting.
Warm the wok over medium-high heat. Heat oil and add ginger, garlic, and stir-fry briefly. Then add onions and chicken. Stir-fry until chicken changes color. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add sauce. Cook until thickened (about 2 minutes). Stir in green onions and serve.

Easy Oatmeal Cookies

I like to make these cookies because they make it easy to entertain surprise guests.

 Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet ingredients:
1 egg
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Other ingredients:
1 ½ cups oatmeal
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cherries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. In another bowl, combine oatmeal, reasons, and dried cherries. Set aside.
In a stand mixer bowl, beat the wet ingredients until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients and beat for 1 minute. Stir in the oatmeal mixture.
Using a spoon, drop 1 tbs of batter onto a baking sheet. Repeat process (leave a space of 1 inch between drops) until finished with batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until slightly brown at the cookies’ edges. Remove and let cookies cool on a wire rack.

Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots Stew

This quick stew is a one pot meal with a balance of meat and vegetables!

Ingredients:
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts or legs
2 tbs cornstarch
1 cup potatoes, cut into pieces
1 cup carrots, cut into pieces
1 cup white onions, cut into pieces
Sauce:
2 cups chicken broth or water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs cooking wine
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs ketchup

Directions:
Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle cornstarch on the chicken.
Heat 2 tbs of oil about and fry chicken until both sides are golden brown. In the same pan, add more oil, if needed. Fry potatoes, carrots and onions in separate batches; then set aside.
Add the sauce ingredients into a pot and bring to boil. Add fried chicken and the rest of the fried vegetables. Cook for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add 1 tsp of sesame oil and sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Coconut & Nonfat Yogurt Coffee Cake

The coconut oil, chia seeds gel, and applesauce replace the butter usually found in this recipe. I cut more fat by using nonfat yogurt, and adding sweet coconut flakes on top of the batter before baking brings a special touch to this coffee cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup chia seeds gel (2 tsp chia seeds +1/4 cup water)
4 oz applesauce
4 oz nonfat yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweet coconut flakes

Directions;
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 8” x 8” cake pan, a spring-form pan, or an angel food pan .
In a stand mixer bowl, blend the sugar, coconut oil, and chia seeds gel until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and vanilla, beating well. Add nonfat yogurt and applesauce and continue to beat using medium apeed. Add flour and turn the speed to low and mix until blended together. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the coconut flakes evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

Baked Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce

Seafood consumption is on the upswing! Choosing the right seafood as a heart healthy protein choice is becoming a trend in America and for very good reasons. The rise of obesity and heart attacks by eating too much trans fat. Salmon is the best choice to reduce the risk of heart trouble. My baked salmon recipe is easy to prepare, and the results are fantastic.

Ingredients:
Two 6 oz salmon fillets
Marinade:
3 tbs light soy sauce
3 tbs mirin
3 tbs sake or white wine
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Garnish with:
1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
Green onions, chopped
Cilantro chopped

Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients and add salmon. Let the salmon marinate for 1 hour. Drain salmon.
Broil or barbecue salmon about 4 inch from heat. Cook until fish flakes when tested with a fork. Serve with rice or steamed vegetables.

Easy Carrot Pineapple Cake

I think carrot cake is almost everybody’s cake. The pineapple adds more moisture and add interesting flavor to this cake. The way to make this cake can be in the grandmother’s recipe category with just a few  simple steps. The chia seeds gel will help eating this cake without a guilty conscience!

 Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2  tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Wet ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup chia seeds gel
1 tsp vanilla extract
Others:
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup pineapple crushed, drained
Frosting:
Good store-bought frosting or homemade

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9” x 9” cake pan.
In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside.
With a handheld mixer, beat the what ingredients until smooth (about 2 minutes). Make a well the center of the flour and pour the wet ingredients into the center of the well. Use a wooden spoon to mix until incorporated. Stir in carrots, coconut flakes, pineapple, and chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the temperature of the various oven used. Let cool completely before frosting.

Breakfast with Pumpkin & Raisins

Many people’s New Year’s resolution should be eating a good breakfast every morning. People who skip breakfast tend to gain weight over time. So making a good healthy breakfast is my personal New Year’s resolution. This recipe represents what I intend to eat this year.

Ingredients:
3 cups of 1 inch bread cubes (or use any leftover bread)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup skim milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (from a 15 ounce can of pumpkin)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup raisins or cranberries
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla

Serve with:
Nonfat yogurt on top and drizzle with maple syrup

Directions:
Spray a 10" x 6" baking dish with coconut oil.

Spread half of the bread on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the raisins.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and vanilla. Mix well and pour over the bread mixture on the baking dish. Top with the other half of the bread and raisins.
Spread coconut oil on the middle of a sheet of aluminum foil cut larger than the dimensions of the baking dish. Place the foil, oil side down, over the baking dish. Seal edges and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 400°. Bake the covered pumpkin for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown or inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve.

Kung Pao Chicken II

The way to prepare kung pao chicken always depends on each cook’s preference with slightly different ingredients added to this dish. I made kung pao chicken before, and I tried this time with a little change to have a slightly different taste. Have fun and experience whatever ways that suit your taste buds.

Ingredients:
Marinade
1/2 lb skinless, boneless, chicken breast, halved
1 tbs dry sherry
1 tsp cornstarch
Sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup good soy sauce
4 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot pepper sauce (any kind)
2 dry hot chilli
Vegetables
1/2 cup diced white onions
1/2 cup green bell peppers, diced
1 cup green onions (cut in 1 inch lengths)
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
Other
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Enough oil for stir frying
Hot cooked brown rice

Directions:
Cut chicken into 3/4 inch pieces. Place onto a bowl. Add dry sherry and cornstarch. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and mix well.
Prepare the vegetables and set aside (remember before stir frying dishes, all the ingredients have to be ready)
Pour oil in a wok over medium-heat (add more oil, if needed, during stir frying). Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 20 seconds. Add chicken mixture. Stir and cook for 4 minutes or until no pink remains. Push chicken aside from the center of the wok. Add the vegetable ingredients and cook briefly (about 2 minutes). Rejoin the vegetables with chicken and still keep in the center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir the chicken and vegetables together to coat with the sauce. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Serve immediately with hot cooked rice.

Apple Pear Cranberry Pie

I love this easy pie, and the combination of apple, pear, and cranberry gives this pie a cheery feeling when served on the holiday table.

Ingredients:
1 single store-bought Betty Crocker or Pillsbury pie dough mix
Fillings:
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples
3 cups thinly sliced, peeled ripe pears
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbs vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Toppings:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Other:
Aluminum foil
Large baking sheet
9 inch glass pie plate

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients together.

Roll out the pie dough onto the glass pie plate. Mix all the filling ingredients in a large bowl until all are well combined. Transfer the filling onto the pie dish. Top with the filling. Cover loosely with foil. Line with a 15” x 10” piece of foil (this procedure will help to catch any juice spilled over during baking time and make the cleanup easy). Place the pie dish on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven set to 400° for about 1 hour. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes or until top becomes golden brown.

Vegetable Little Muffins

After juicing, the pulp remaining makes wonderful cakes, breads or quick muffins for breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 cup cake mix
1 cup vegetable pulp
1 egg
3 tbs sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tbs chia seeds gel
1 tsp vanilla
Toppings:
2 tbs cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs walnuts, chopped
2 tbs flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Put 7 small muffin liners in the muffin tins and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the topping ingredients together until crumbly.

With a handheld mixer, beat the sugar, egg, coconut oil, chia seeds gel, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in vegetable pulp and flour. Mix well. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin liners up to 3/4 full. Top each muffin with topping. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Quinoa with Salmon-Fried Rice

Fried rice is a common meal served in Asian restaurants. Since I have enjoyed eating quinoa for awhile, I substituted quinoa for the rice to make this a healthier meal. To make this dish, quinoa needs to cook with a little less water than usually because the drier quinoa will make a better fried rice as the result. Enjoy this hearty, healthy meal.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked Quinoa (recipe follows below)
1 can 14.75 salmon, drained
1/2 cup white onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup corn (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oyster sauce
2 tbs ketchup

Enough coconut oil for frying (about 1/4 cup)

Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro

Directions:
In a large frying pan over medium heat, add oil and heat until hot. Add beaten eggs (swirl the pan to make a thin omelet). Remove the omelet and cut into thin strips.

Blanch the corn and carrots for 2 minutes in boiling water. Drain and set aside.
In a wok, heat 2 tbs coconuts oil. Add white onions and garlic. Stir and cook until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add drained salmon.

 Use a wooden spoon to break the salmon into small pieces. Pan fry salmon until almost dry and becoming golden brown. Add mushrooms. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

Add the blanched corn-carrots to join with salmon. Add quinoa and sauce ingredients listed above. Let fry for 5 minutes. Mix well. Add the strips of egg at the end of cooking.

 Sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro. Serve.

Quinoa recipe
Rinse 1 cup of quinoa
In the rice cooker add 1 and 3/4 cup of water. Turn the rice cooker on.

Veggie/Bean Burger

Making a veggie burger is another way to use the pulp left from juicing. I add some beans and potatoes for more nutrition. The commercial veggie patty is more dense and tends to do well on the grill, but the homemade veggie is more fragile. It is good for broiling in the oven or pan frying, but it is so much tastier. The homemade veggie patty can be served alone or on a whole wheat bun as a hamburger with aioli or other dressing that pleases your taste buds. Let’s get cooking!

 Ingredients:
1 cup vegetarian pulp
1 cup cooked mashed potatoes
2 cups cooked red beans, navy beans, or chickpeas (I used a combination of all)
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 egg
2 cups panko
Coconut oil for pan frying

Directions:
In a sauté pan, add oil and sauté onions and garlic until fragrant. Add the veggie pulp, stir, and cook until the veggies pulp becomes dry (about 5 to 7 minutes). Remove and place in a large mixing bowl.
In a blender, add beans and pulse a few times (do not over mash the beans – I still like to have some chunky beans). Add mashed potatoes and beans to the veggie mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients to the veggie-bean mixture. Shape into a 4 inch patties. Roll each patty with the panko breadcrumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use. This veggie burger can be frozen well too.
To Cook
In a medium cast iron or nonstick pan, add about 1 tbs coconut oil for each patty over medium -high heat. Place each patty in the hot pan and fry each side for 3 to 5 minutes or until the patty is golden brown. Serve with lettuce and cucumbers on the side.

Brazillian Fish Balls

Ingredients:
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
Two 6 oz of cod or white fish, cut into chunks
2 cups clam juice
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 onion, quarter
1 bay leaf
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Old Bay® Seasoning
1 tbs Tabasco hot sauce
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbs cilantro or parsley

Directions:
Put the potatoes in clam juice and bring to boil. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes). Remove the potatoes with slotted spoon and then mash.
Add onions and bay leaf to the potatoes cooking liquid and bring to simmer. Add fish and 1/4 cup white wine. Cook fish until opaque (about 5 minutes). Remove fish with slotted spoon and add to mashed potatoes. Use fork to break fish into small pieces.
Add cilantro, egg, Old Bay Seasoning, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to the fish and potatoes mixture. Mix until well combined. Wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and firm (about 3 hours or overnight).
Using an ice cream scoop, roll the chilled fish-potatoes mixture into 2 inch balls. Roll each ball in bread crumbs to coat completely.
Spray a baking pan with cooking oil. Place fish balls onto the baking pan and spray more cooking oil over the fish balls.

Bake the fish balls in the preheated oven set to 400° until the fish balls are slightly brown.

Remove, garnish with more cilantro, and serve.