Recipe of the Week: Stuffed Manicotti with Tomato Meat Sauce

Looking for a show-stopper holiday meal for your family or company? Why not serve our famous Italian meat sauce over spinach-stuffed shells. Here's the recipe - and don't share it or one of our mafia uncles might have to kill you...

Maria Lazo's Famous Italian Meat Sauce

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 12-oz. cans tomato paste (Contadina, organic)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce (Contadina, organic)
6-8 cups water
1 lb. ground beef (organic)
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 tablespoon garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons basil, chopped or 4 leaves fresh basil
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon organic sugar (important to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (optional)

Instructions:
1. Saute onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil in large Dutch oven-style pot.
2. When onions look translucent, crumble meats into pot. (You do not need to brown the meat. It will fully cook while your sauce is stewing and comes out more tender this way!)
3. Add remaining ingredients (water, spices & cheese) and stir.
4. Bring to a boil for approx. 10 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer. Approximately 2 hours (especially if you are putting meatballs in the sauce).
6. Serve over your favorite pasta, ravioli or for another dish like lasagna or chicken parmesan.
7. SAVE SOME FOR LATER: Let sauce cool and freeze half in ziplock bags or containers.

Dorina's Spinach-stuffed Shells (Manicotti)

Ingredients:
1/2 pot Maria's Italian Meat Sauce
1 12-ounce jumbo shells pasta (could use manicotti shells but they're harder to stuff & don't look as fancy)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey, crumbled & sautéed
1 onion, chopped
1 15-ounce container of ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 16-ounce package frozen spinach
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Makes about 3 dozen shells.

1. Boil large pot of water. Add dash of salt and olive oil. Cook shells about 8 minutes (a few minutes less than package says) and cool, running cold water over the top. (Be careful not to overcook or the shells fall apart.)
2. In a frying pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, sauté meat and onions.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Mix together ricotta & cream cheeses, spinach and spices. Add meat and onions to the mixture. Blend well.
5. Put a 1/2-inch layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a 13x9-inch pan.
6. Stuff shells with as much stuffing as you can get in there and place them carefully in rows in the pan.
7. Drizzle with more meat sauce.
8. Top with mozzarella & parmesan cheese.
9. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese turns a light golden brown. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Buon Appetito!

Healthy Thanksgiving: It's All About Baby Steps

Are you ready for the feast? Some of you have been putting together your menu for weeks. Others will probably shop in the next few days for the same ingredients for the same dishes you make every year. After all, Thanksgiving is about tradition. Right?

We're right there with you. But we also believe in baby steps toward making holiday traditional meals into healthy fare. Each year we've tinkered with a few recipes and tried new variations to start our own healthy Thanksgiving traditions without going "cold turkey" on the family.

The first year after we consciously started our healthy eating journey we started by looking at our menu and eliminating the "worst" recipes. In our family, that meant ditching the sweet potatoes with a pound of brown sugar and marshmallows on top. We also traded pecan pie, which is basically a corn syrup soup (ugh!) for apple pie using local apples. We also tried out some new recipes like homemade cranberry sauce rather than that canned stuff.

Last Thanksgiving we incorporated more healthy recipes. Mom Lazo tried out whole wheat crescent rolls made from scratch rather than the ones out of the little Pillsbury tube. We also urged Mom to make her pie crusts out of whole wheat pastry flour and real butter (ditching the white flour and margarine/shortening). Ericlee also requested this stuffing that incorporated wild rice (which is known for its high-protein content - double that of brown rice) and goat cheese instead of the usual cubed white bread-based stuffing. (We saw Bobby Flay mix this new version up on a Thanksgiving cooking show.) The stuffing was a wild hit!

For us, these changes in the menu while maintaining the "integrity" of a traditional Thanksgiving are baby steps. We didn't spring Tofurky on the crew. We thought of ways we could make old favorites with organic and local ingredients. We decided to reduce the amount of butter and salt in recipes and use natural sweeteners like honey. This year we're adding a homemade Green Bean Casserole (instead of that canned soup kind) and adding our new fave, Banana-Pumpkin Muffins (a greater starter or dessert that uses no sugar at all!)

There's no convincing Ericlee's mom at this point that we don't need two turkeys. Maybe next year? In the meantime, we're dreaming up healthy leftovers with that excess of bird!

This year's menu:

Gorgonzola & Pear Pizza
Whole Wheat Crescent Rolls
Banana-Pumpkin Muffins
Dorina's Butternut Squash Soup

Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Classic Roasted Turkey with Herbed Stuffing
Paul's Teriyaki-injected Turkey
Wild Rice & Goat Cheese Stuffing
Mashed Pecan-crusted Sweet Potatoes
Pomegranate-pear Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Tiramisu
Oatmeal-Nut Crunch Apple Pie
Blueberry pie with Oatmeal crunch with Honey Whipped Cream
Organic Italian Pizzelle Cookies

We're interested in a word from you. What healthy additions or subtractions do you have for your menu this year? What questions do you have about how to make a healthier Thanksgiving meal?

Lip-Smackin' Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey-Lime Soup with Quesadillas

If you're anything like me, you're dreaming about turkey leftovers even before you get to the real Thanksgiving feast. I decided to post my fave recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers so you could get the extra ingredients when you make your rounds to the grocery store before the holiday. Are you in the mood for something to warm up your cold winter day? I created this recipe using ingredients we had in the pantry/fridge after Thanksgiving. Haven't you always wondered what to do with that turkey carcass? Here's a way to use it! This one would even work in the crockpot. Enjoy!

Turkey-Lime Soup
inspired by Chicken-Lime Tortilla Soup served in the Yucatan

Turkey Stock ingredients: (Or skip the stock and just add boxed organic chicken broth)
1 turkey carcass
8 cups water
2 cups chopped celery
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soup Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
turkey stock (or 2 quarts organic chicken broth)
1 chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 diced red bell pepper
1 29 oz. can organic diced tomatoes (or use fresh ones if they are available and in season)
2 cups chopped turkey
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 thinly sliced limes
2 cups chopped turkey
1 diced jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/4 cup cilantro (garnish)
tortilla strips or chips (garnish)

FOR STOCK:
1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Simmer 2-3 hours until meat falls off bone and vegetables are soft.
3. Strain broth as a starter for soup and discard bones, etc.

FOR SOUP:
1. Saute onion, celery, carrot and garlic in olive oil.
2. Meanwhile, dice red pepper and prepare limes.
3. Set burner to medium-high heat. Heat broth in large pot. Add tomatoes and lime peel and juice.
4. Add sauteed vegetables and red pepper.
5. Add turkey and boil for 5 minutes.
6. Reduce to a simmer and add the jalapeno/red pepper flakes.
7. Cook an additional 30 minutes. Add lime slices.
8. Serve with cilantro or sauteed tortilla strips on top.

This soup goes great with quesadillas for lunch or tacos for dinner. A wonderful winter treat!

Recipe of the Week: Harvest Apple Salad

Here's an easy Apple Salad recipe I created the other morning. I started off with a Classic Waldorf Salad recipe but decided to add a healthy twist with some ingredients I had at home. The yogurt and honey replace the mayonnaise and give this salad a fresh taste. This is perfect to add to a brunch menu or for a side at lunch or dinner for your Thanksgiving guests. Apples are in abundance at local farm stands here in Fresno so we've been gobbling them up!

Ingredients:

4 apples (I like Pink Ladies and the classic green cooking apples)
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped (could use walnut pieces)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup plain yogurt

1. Chop apples and mix with lemon juice and vinegar.
2. Chop celery, nuts and green onions and add to apples.
3. Add pumpkin seeds and cranberries and mix in.
4. Mix honey and yogurt and drizzle over salad mixture.
5. Mix well and serve or chill.

Recipes of the Week: Persimmon Party

Wondering what to do with all those extra persimmons? Have you seen this elusive orange fruit in the grocery store or at the farmer's market and wondered how to employ it in your favorite dishes. According to Eating Well magazine, persimmons provide half the Vitamin C and one quarter the fiber we need daily. The "fuyu" persimmon is like an orange, squatty tomato and firm when ripe. These are great in place of apples or pears in your fave dishes. The "hachiya" persimmon is the acorn-shaped variety that becomes mushy to the touch when ripe and can be squeezed out to use in smoothies or for baked goods like cookies and breads. Here are some of our recipes using the persimmon. (Please share some of your creative uses for the persimmon!)

Baby Greens Salad with Fuyu Persimmons

Ingredients:
1 package mixed baby greens or fresh organic greens of your choice
2 thinly sliced fuyu persimmons
1 thinly sliced small red onion
1 container 4 oz. feta cheese or goat cheese

1. Arrange salad in a bowl.
2. Make dressing. Easy Dressing: Add 3/4 salad oil to a small mason jar.
3. Mix in 1 T. apple juice, 1 t. lime juice and 1 t. mixed herbs (1/4 t. basil, 1/4 t. oregano, 1/4 t. rosemary, 1/4 t. mint)
4. Shake jar and pour over salad.


Baked Salmon with persimmon salsa

1 large-2 medium salmon fillets

sea salt & pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

Salsa:

1 red onion

1 red or yellow pepper

1 orange

1 cup fuyu persimmon

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/2 jalapeno or pepper of your choice, depending on how much heat you want

1. Coat 1 large salmon fillet big enough for your family with olive oil. (We get it from Costco or Trader Joe's - You can substitute in the kind of fish of your choice. Mahi mahi is another one of our faves.)

2. Sprinkle with sea salt & pepper

3. Rub on mix of herbs, such as basil, oregano, coriander, garlic, lemon pepper and/or chili pepper.

4. Let salmon sit in a dish or on a platter and prepare the salsa in a small bowl.

5. Chop 1 red onion, 1 red or yellow pepper, 1 orange, 1 cup fuyu persimmon, 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 jalapeno (or pepper of choice) finely minced. Make sure everything is in bite-sized pieces or smaller and stir together.

6. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. (You can make this salsa ahead of time and reserve in ziplock bag)6. Grill the salmon approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on your grill and the size of your fillet. Watch for when the white fat juices start to ooze out the top and the salmon meat is flaky at the touch of a fork. Then it's done. You only need to grill on one side.

7. Top with persimmon salsa and serve with rice or potatoes or other favorite side.


Persimmon & Honey Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, organic softened
3/4 cup honey
1 egg
2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or other flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup persimmon pulp (2-3 soft & peeled)

1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet or carob-sweetened chocolate chips, optional

1. Cream together butter & honey.
2. Beat in egg.
3. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Stir in nuts, raisins and chocolate chips.
5. Lightly grease cookie sheet and drop tablespoons full onto sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

November Healthy Menus

Looking for ideas for some homecooked meals with a healthy twist you can whip up for your family? This month's menus include some of the fall produce like persimmons, pomegranates, apples and greens. Try adding ground flaxseed to comfort foods like casseroles, stews and soups for that extra dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Dried cranberries are also a rich source of antioxidants for fighting colds and flus. Grab a handful for a snack. Add them to chicken salad for lunch. Or, try sprinkling them over a green salad.

Novebmer 16-22

sun
Italian Wedding Soup
Corn Bread
Green salad with tomatoes, radishes, carrots and cucumbers

mon
Green salad with persimmon, feta and pecans
Broccoli Mac & Cheese with Turkey Bacon
Leftover Soup

tues
Salmon with Persimmon salsa
Black Wild Rice pilaf
Sauteed Chard

wed
Guacamole & Organic tortilla chips
Black bean enchiladas with Green tomatillo sauce
Brown rice

thurs
Chili Pizazz
Cheesy whole wheat biscuits
Persimmon & Honey Cookies

fri
Baby greens salad with black olives, cherry tomatoes & Parmesan cheese
Spinach ravioli with Alfredo sauce
Foccocia bread

sat
Luscious Leftovers

November 9 - 15

sun
Salmon with Pepita-Lime Butter
Brown rice
Steamed carrots

mon
Baby Greens salad with tomatoes and black olives
Veggie Ratatouille Pasta

tues
Waldorf salad
Giada's Winter minestrone soup (We subsitute turkey bacon for the pancetta.)
Rosemary bread

wed
More-Please Meatloaf
Mashed sweet potatoes
Broccoli salad

thurs
Dorina's Killer Guacamole with organic tortilla chips
Chicken Fajitas with Persimmon salsa
Black Beans
Brown Rice

fri
Small Group Dinner:
Green Salad
Chicken Cacciatore
Whole Wheat Pasta

sat
Luscious Leftovers

November 2 - 8

sun
White Bean & Chicken Chili
Organic tortilla chips with cheese

mon
Honey-teriyaki Chicken
Millet Fried Rice
Sauteed Bok Choy

tues
Deep Dish Potato & Pumpkin Pie
Green Salad with Feta & Fuyu Persimmons

wed
Crockpot Beef & barley stew

thurs
Cross Country League Champs
Dinner out with Team

fri
Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
Stir-fried Veggies
Jasmine Rice
Thai-spiced Salmon

sat
Taste of Friendship event:
Spinach-stuffed Manicotti Shells
with Marinara Meat Sauce
Baby greens salad with feta, walnuts & dried cranberries

Recipe of the Week: Harvest Banana-pumpkin Cupcakes with Honey-cream Cheese Frosting

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your family for Halloween or Thanksgiving, try these healthy-yummy cupcakes and decorate them together. Serve them up for a boo-tiful addition to your harvest party. This recipe also makes great mini loaves that you can wrap in foil and tie with a ribbon for a holiday Housewarming gift or serve at your Thanksgiving brunch.

Halloween Banana-Pumpkin Cupcakes
with Honey-Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups flour (I use 1 cup unbleached white and 2 cups whole wheat or spelt)
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon flaxseed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz. can pumpkin (100% pure)*
4 large eggs
1 cup honey or 1 1/4 cup organic brown sugar
2 medium mashed bananas
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 bag chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Frosting:
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1/4 cup honey (or until consistency you like)

Garnishes:
1/2 bag chocolate chips
chocolate-covered sunflower seeds (They sell them at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and they're a great alternative to M&Ms with no harmful dyes!)
mint leaves for the green pumpkin stem

Makes 24 muffins + 3 mini loaves or 2 large loaves (cook 1 hour).

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 muffin tins or use paper cups.
2. Mix eggs, butter, honey/sugar, pumpkin and banana.
3. Mix in dry ingredients.
4. Add chocolate chips & nuts. Do not overmix.
5. Pour into loaf pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool completely on rack. Meanwhile, add softened cream cheese to mixer. Blend until smooth. Add a bit of honey to the consistency you want for your frosting - not too runny.
7. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with chocolate-covered sunflower seeds or remaining chocolate chips used to make jack-o-lantern faces. Mint leaves make fun all-natural pumpkin stems. (We skip the frosting for the mini loaves so they keep longer.)

*If you'd like to use real pumpkin, check out this technique.

Recipe of the Week: Squash & Corn Chowder

I was perusing some of my old Bon Appetit magazines the other day and I came across this recipe. I like to save my mags according to the seasons and return to them for ideas when new produce comes into our local farmer's market. This chowder recipe showcases butternut squash and corn so I thought I'd try it with a few of my own twists.

Adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2003 issue

Fall Squash & Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

10 slices turkey bacon, chopped

2 tablespoons organic butter

3 medium onions, chopped (I used 2 yelllow & 1 red)

2 chopped bell peppers (red, yellow or green work)

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

9 cups chicken broth

4 cups 1/2-inch cubed, peeled, seeded butternut squash (You can use a whole squash measuring about 1 3/4 pounds or get the prepeeled, seeded & cubed packages of squash in the refrigerator section of Trader Joe's)

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 tablespoons oregano (original recipe calls for thyme)

2 16-oz. bags frozen corn or 4 cups fresh corn kernels

1 cup whipping cream or plain yogurt

2 chicken breasts, boiled/heated in crockpot & cubed (or you can save time and buy a rotiserrie chicken & shred)

1 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cook bacon pieces in large pot until crisp. (If using regular bacon, pour out some of drippings.) Set aside.

2. Add butter to pot and melt.

3. Add onions and 1 of chopped bell peppers. Saute until onions and peppers are soft.

4. Add flour; stir 2 minutes.

5. Mix in broth, squash potatoes and oregano; bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until veggies are tender (approx. 12 minutes).

7. Add corn, cream/plain yogurt, remaining bell peppers and simmer additional 10 minutes.

8. Add chicken, turkey bacon, green onions, 1/2 cup cilantro; Simmer 5 minutes.

9. Add salt & pepper.

10. Ladle chowder into bowls and garnish with extra green onions.

Serves 10-12

Side suggestions: Honey Cornbread Muffins

Here's another Fall squash recipe with that comfort food feel...

Deep Dish Potato & Pumpkin Pie

My friend Allison served this one at a recent dinner and it was a hit. Here's a great way to get your family to eat a hearty vegetarian meal. None of us missed the meat and you can substitute in whatever vegetables you have on hand.

October Menus

sun
Balsamic-marinated tomato salad with basil
Flat bread pizzas with turkey pepperoni, green peppers & black olives

mon
Eggplant Parmesan
Tomato Meat Sauce

tues
Organic tortilla chips & salsa
Taco Salad with ground turkey, cheddar, cilantro

wed
Sesame Chicken Wings
Brown Rice
Sauteed Bok Choy

thurs
Lemon-herb Salmon
Baked Maple Acorn Squash


fri - Happy Halloween!
Green salad with green apples, pecans & goat cheese
Pumpkin Penne Pasta
Chicken sausage

sat
Luscious Leftovers

This week's fall menus include some of the new harvest vegetables from our local farmer's market, including eggplant, pomegranates, fuyu persimmons and a fat butternut squash I found. I love the color of fall vegetables and fruits mixed with the rich food aromas produced by braised lamb and curry dishes.

sun
Chicken & Corn Chowder
Honey Corn Bread Muffins
Green Salad

mon
Maple-Pecan Halibut
Mushroom Risotto
Green salad with fresh wax beans & cherry tomatoes

tues
Pomegranate-Spiced Lamb
Israeli Couscous
Butternut Squash

wed
Baby greens salad with fuyu persimmons & goat cheese
White Bean and Chicken Chili
Crusty Whole Wheat Bread

thurs
Eggplant Curry with Cilantro Yogurt
Basmati Rice
Multigrain Naan

fri
Lombardi's Italian restaurant
in Paso Robles
on the road to the Central Coast

sat
Brad's Seafood restaurant
Pismo Beach


One of my fave parts of fall are all the comfort foods like soups, chilis and baked entrees. This week we're bringing out a french fave - chicken cordon bleu, and an Italian standby - stuffed manicotti. Add Asian pears or apples to your salads or desserts now that they are appearing at the farmer's markets. Savor those crisp fall flavors!

sun
Chicken Sausage Jambalaya
Brown Rice

mon
Baby greens salad with Walnuts, Asian pears & Goat Cheese
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Sweet potato spoon bread

tues
Salad with Cherry tomatoes, black olives & parmesan cheese
Spinach-stuffed manicotti
Whole wheat Italian bread

wed
(Small Group)
Honey-Apple-Date Galette

thurs
Wheat Berry Salad
Vegetarian pizza with Zucchini, Red & Yellow Peppers, Feta

fri
Pecan-crusted Chicken Dinner Salad
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
Sliced Fruit

sat
Luscious Leftovers

We're on the border of late summer sun and cooler fall temperatures. We still see an abundance of fresh produce at our farmer's market - plenty of plums, pluots, tomatoes, etc. - but some new "fall finds" are appearing as well like bok choy, apples and persimmons. This week our family has several outings where food is prepared for us. That means making smart choices. It's all about moderation when you're eating on the road. And the real dilemma...how to eat healthy and still have fun at the Fresno Fair...we'll skip the deep-fried twinkies.


sun
(Ocktoberfest Picnic)
Tri-tip
Pilaf
Salad
Bread

mon
Chicken Fajitas on Whole Wheat Tortillas
Organic tortilla chips with Salsa
Rice & Beans

tues
Caesar salad
Gnocchi with Tomato Meat Sauce
Crusty whole wheat bread

wed
Green Salad with Cherry tomatoes & cucumbers
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Sweet potato spoon bread

thurs
Lemon-Herb Tilapia
Sauteed summer squash
Risotto

fri
(Big Fresno Fair)
Gyros
Chicken Kebob
Cinnamon Roll

sat
(Cooking Club: Whole grains & Beans Bonanza)
Sundried tomato & white bean crostini
Wheat berry salad
Crispy white beans with Spinach
Crockpot tri-tip
Dairyless Chocolate Mouse
Dorina's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe of the Week: Moist & Dark Zucchini Muffins

I grew up on Zucchini Bread. Zucchini was in abundance even in our small city garden in Chicago throughout the summer and fall. It's one of those yummy dessert-meets-breakfast or really anytime-of-the-day snacks. Over the last year, I've been experimenting with different kinds of natural sweeteners in an effort to avoid the overprocessed white sugar so often used in baking. I took my mom's classic Moist & Dark Zucchini Bread and put a healthy spin on it. Make it as a quick bread, 4 mini loaves (which make nice housewarming gifts) or 24 regular-sized muffins.

Moist & Dark Zucchini Muffins (or Bread)

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 plain yogurt
1/2 cup organic butter, softened
1 cup rapadura or coconut palm sugar (a natural sweetener like sugar that's unrefined & unbleached - Find it at Whole Foods or other stores or substitute in an additional 3/4 honey)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups white whole wheat flour (King Arthur's or other brand)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups zucchini, grated

Garnishes: Chopped nuts, Chocolate chips, Dried cranberries, Chocolate-covered sunflower seeds (found at Trader Joe's), 1 cup ready-made granola, unsweetened coconut.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs.

2. Stir in yogurt, softened butter, rapadura, honey, and vanilla.

3. Blend in dry ingredients and spices.

4. Fold in zucchini.

5. Spoon in greased muffin tins (or use paper cups) or other loaf pans.

6. Sprinkle with garnish of choice.

7. Bake muffins approximately 25-30 minutes, mini loaves for approximately 35-45 minutes, full loaf (9x15) for 55 minutes -1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Recipe of the Week: Fall Butternut Squash Soup

Looking for something that showcases all those great fall flavors. Try this recipe for a vegetarian main dish or healthy side. It's our tradition for starting out our Thanksgiving meal. You could use it for a Pumpkin or Harvest party or your next Fall Soiree. Enjoy!

FALL BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil or organic butter
2 medium butternut squash, peeled & cubed (or Trader Joe's does it for you if you don't have time - check out the fresh stuff in the refrigerated section!)
2 tart granny smith apples, grated
1 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cup white wine (sherry or chardonnay)
2 large boxes (organic) chicken broth (about 50 oz.)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon parsley, for garnish
1/4 cup cream, for garnish

Directions:
1. Add olive oil or melt butter in large pot. Add butternut squash. Saute in pot for 15-20 min. until soft.
2. Meanwhile, prepare other vegetables and apples. Add to pot and allow to sweat until soft.
3. Add wine, broth and spices to pot. Bring to boil and cook 5 min. Lower heat and cook for additional 45 min.
4. Puree soup using immersion blender or food processor.
5. Serve with cornbread muffins, crescent rolls or other hearty bread.

*For fancy garnish, drip small amount of heavy cream on top of each bowl of soup. Use toothpick to drag cream around in curly designs. Top with fresh parsley.

Cooking Club: Whole Grains & Beans Bonanza

This month's Cooking Club ladies had fun trying out some new experimental "super natural" foods. In other words, we looked for yummy-looking recipes that included whole grains and beans of all varieties. Paula through a tri-tip in her crock pot and the main entree was taken care of while the rest of us worked on the sides and salad.



COOKING CLUB MENU:


-White Bean-Sun dried Tomato Crostini
-Edamame Hummus and Pita Chips
-Wheat Berry Salad
-Crusty and Creamy White Beans with Greens
-Crock pot Tri-tip
-Chocolate Dairyless Mousse

Here are some of our faves from the Cooking Club experiment...


White Bean-Sun dried Tomato Crostini
Adapted from Holiday Theme Parties cookbook




Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons finely chopped sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon oregano

18-20 slices whole wheat French baguette

Chopped fresh parsley



1. Combine beans, vinegar, oil and garlic in blender or food processor. Process until smooth and transfer to a small bowl.

2. Stir in tomatoes, salt, oregano, and pepper.

3. Cover bean spread and chill at least 1 hour to let flavors blend.

4. Toast French bread under broiler.

5. Spread bean spread on each slice of toast.

6. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.



Makes 18-20 appetizers.





Wheat Berry Salad
from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson

Ingredients:
2 cups soft wheat berries, rinsed
6 cups water
2 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt, plus more as needed

Dressing:
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 generous handfuls spinach, stemmed and well rinsed
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Salt & freshly-ground pepper

1. Combine the wheat berries, water, and 2 teaspoons salt in large saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until plump and chewy, about an hour or so. (The berries should stay at al dente, and the only way to be sure they're done is to taste a few.) Drain and season to taste with more salt.

2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts by placing them in a single layer over medium heat. Toss them around every few minutes until fragrant and toasty. Don't walk away or you will burn the batch.

3. Dressing: Combine the orange zest, juice, lemon juice, and shallot. Whisk the olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

4. Toss the hot wheat berries with the spinach and pine nuts, citrus dressing, then top with the feta. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with a bit more salt if needed.

Serves 6.


Dairyless Chocolate Mousse
Adapted from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson


Ingredients:
1/2 cup chocolate soy milk
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
12 oz. silken soft tofu
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract, optional
Fine-grain sea salt

1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer.
2. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, in a double boiler (or in a glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water).
4. Add the warm soy milk and silken tofu to the chocolate.
5. Puree with a hand blender or transfer to a food processor and process until silky smooth.
6. Stir in almond extract (if desired) and a generous pinch of sea salt.
7. Taste and adjust the flavoring as desired.
8. Chill in a large serving bowl or individual bowls for at least 1 1/2 hours.

Makes 6 servings.