14-Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 onions, sliced
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 pinch dried thyme
14 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 6 cups)
6 cups vegetable broth
(I used 6 cups water and 3 vegetable bouillon cubes)
salt and pepper

1. Melt olive oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed pot and add onions and thyme. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until tender and golden.

2. Add carrots and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and continue to cook for about 5 minutes to build flavor.

3. Add broth, bring to a near boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until carrots are tender.

4. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste and puree.

5. Press through a sieve for an elegant, velevety texture


Serves 4-6

14-Carrot Soup

Cozy Apple Crisp

This is one of our favorite desserts... easy & delicious! The most time consuming part is peeling & slicing the apples. The dried fruits & roasted nuts in the granola is what adds so much flavor. I hope you like it too!

Apple Crisp

8 large Granny Smith Green Apples
1 cup of sugar, I use raw unprocessed
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon juiced
2 tablespoons of cinnamon, add more or less to taste

Peal & slice apples about 1/4" thick & place in very large bow. Pour lemon juice over apples as you begin to add them to the bowl & toss well after adding each apple to keep from turning brown. Add remaining ingredience & toss till coated very well. Place apples in oversized pie plate & crumble heavily with "Granola" topping (see below). Bake 375 for about 45 minutes or until bubbly... do not let topping burn.

Granola Crust

3 cups of "My Favorite Granola" or any quality granola
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup of sugar, I use raw unprocessed

Mix together till crumbly before putting over apples Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

Cozy Apple Crisp

Crusted Tilapia with Roasted Veggies

This is so delicious and takes little time to prepare & cook. Go ahead & get the veggies in the oven roasting while you prepare & cook the tilapia. I have a convection oven & find using the convect roast is wonderful, you can bake if you do not have a convection oven. The garlic in the veggies is somewhat crisp & very sweet. Corn & Dairy free! Serves 4

Veggies…5 minutes to prepare, 30-45 minutes to roast or bake
Tilapia… 5 minutes to prepare & 6-10 minutes to cook (depending on size)

TILAPIA

4 Pieces of fresh Tilapia , rinse & pat dry
2-3 tablespoons of Nayonaise or organic mayonnaise
2-3 cups of whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (I use "Ian's Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs". They are available at Lowes Food stores in the health food section or at Whole Foods)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary chopped fine, 1tablespoon if using dried
Pinch of cayenne, optional
Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

Place breadcrumbs on a sheet of wax paper and add zest, herbs, salt & pepper; mix well. In a bowl add Nayonaise & lightly coat tilapia. Pat in breadcrumbs & press to make sure the crumbs adhere well. Heat pan on medium heat & drizzle with oil . Sauté tilapia filets about 3-4 minutes on each side or until brown, turning only once. Squeeze lemon juice over filets.

VEGGIES

4 zucchini’s sliced in 1/8 “ rounds
1 onion, sliced in 1/8 “ rounds
½ pint of either grape or cherry tomatoes pierced with a fork
1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
10-15 cloves of garlic ( I use a whole clove)!
1 cup fresh basil, run your knife through it a couple of times (fresh makes all the difference)!
Sea salt & a few turns of the pepper mill
Extra virgin olive oil


In a roasting pan add all the veggies, salt & pepper. Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic & throw the rest in whole. Drizzle all over with oil & roast for about 15 minutes & toss. Roast another 15 minutes & toss. Continue roasting till al dente. Do not over cook or the veggies will be mushy. Remove from the oven & add the fresh basil, toss, serve & enjoy!

Crusted Tilapia with Roasted Veggies

Fruit Salad with Sweet Dressing

This is a light & refreshing snack when you need that quick pick me up in the afternoon. Great to keep in the fridge for when the kids come home from school.

• 1/3 cup honey
  1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus the juice 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard
• 1 apple, cored and diced
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

For the dressing:
Combine the honey, orange juice, oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and mustard in a jar with a tight lid; cover and shake well. Toss the apple, banana, and avocado with juice from 1 lemon to prevent the fruit from turning brown. Combine all the fruit, raisins, and nuts in a glass bowl. Add the dressing and stir gently. Mmmmm good! Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

Fruit Salad with Sweet Dressing

"Chicken Sandwich with Roasted Peppers & Avocado"

We usually grill marinated chicken once a week & I always do an extra breast for my lunch the next day!

2 Whole Grain Bread
Roasted Red Pepper
¼ Hass Avocado* slightly mashed
1 Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Nayonaise or mayonnaise (I use Nayonaise because it is free from corn products & eggs)

Sliced chicken breast on an angle 1/8 thickness and set aside. Toast bread & spread with avocado. Place chicken on top, roasted peppers, Nayonaise & 2nd lice of toast. Enjoy!

* The avocado is high in fat, but most of the fat is the heart-healthy monounsaturated kind, good to help lower cholesterol. Avocado’s tastes great, but outside of an occasional guacamole dip, few of us reach for this high-fiber food for salads, spreads or as a great side dish.
You'll also get protein, a good dose of vitamins A and E, some B vitamins, lots of potassium and a dollop of copper. The rich and creamy avocado has been called the "chocolate" of fruits.
Spread ripe avocados on bread as a healthy replacement for mayonnaise when making a sandwich.

Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

"Chicken Sandwich with Roasted Peppers & Avocado"

Sweet Potato Fries

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

1 cup sea salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder Olive Oil, for tossing
5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
1 tablespoon seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

Sweet Potato Fries

Frozen Banana Sorbet: Snack-a-licious!

1 ripe banana, frozen
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey

Peel the banana and cut into chunks about 1-inch long. Put the banana, lime juice and honey in a food processor and process by pulsing until it is pureed but still a little chunky. Spoon into a serving dish and serve.

Frozen Banana Sorbet: Snack-a-licious!

On the Go Snacks

On the go snacks are great for quick pick me up in between meals & to keep your metabolism flowing. Here is an idea that you can portion into small zip bags & keep at home or in the car for kids & adults “on the go“!

2 cups chopped walnuts, preferably toasted
1 cup dried, unsweetened cherries, raisins or cranberries

VERSION ONE: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Portion 1/3 cup servings into snack-sized sealable plastic bags. This recipe is perhaps the simplest of all and it is amazing how much it tastes like ice cream!

VERSION TWO:Place nuts on a baking sheet & roast at 375 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until toasted but not burned (check often after the 8 minutes) Cool & combine the ingredients in a medium bowl. Portion 1/3 cup servings into snack-sized sealable plastic bags.

On the Go Snacks