Avocado Bruschetta

This is a wonderful snack or appetizer hot or cold. I love this with a small group to munch on before dinner...

1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup each chopped: oven roasted tomatoes, red and yellow peppers
1 clove garlic, oven roasted chopped coarsely
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
Drizzle of olive oil,
salt and pepper to taste
1 baguette

Dice the avocado, drizzle with the lemon juice (to keep from discoloring), toss lightly and set aside. Toss the roasted tomatoes, peppers, olives, garlic & basil together. Add avocado and mix very lightly not to break up the avocado too much. Add salt, pepper and the drizzle of olive oil
over the mix. Slice the baguette and lightly toast the slices under the broiler. Serve warm.

Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

Avocado Bruschetta

Healthy Easter Baskets!

Easter Basket Ideas
I remember making Easter baskets for my kids when they were little. I would go to the health food store & get them some healthy candy & snacks like Panda Bars & yogurt covered raisins. I’d hide the baskets in the living room behind the chair & in the coat closet; they would always find them right away!
I stopped at Whole Foods the other day to find some ideas for Healthy Easter Baskets to share with you. I wanted baskets that your kids would enjoy and yes, have some sweets.
I came across a few ideas and most do not have dairy or corn…

• “Panda” Bars, a Raspberry or Licorice confection
• “Endangered Species” extreme dark chocolate, 88% coco (does have milk)
• “Coombs Family Farms”, 100% Pure Maple Candy
• “Honey Sticks”
• “Citrus Sparx”, berry & fruit
• “Enviro Kidz”, Organic crispy rice bar
• Dried fruit (check out the bulk bins at whole foods if you don't have a dehydrator)
• Carob chips
• Cindy's Famous Granola bars, (recipe on this web site)
• Good Old Fashion Stuffed Bunny!
• Gift certificate to the movies, to go indoor rockclimbing, or some other fun activity
  

Did I forget to mention…
My kids are now 23, 26 and I have a 28 yr old son-in-law; I am still making Easter Baskets for them!
Happy Easter,
Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

Healthy Easter Baskets!

The Best Ever Easter Dinner!

Baked Salmon with Lemon & Tarragon

I large half of Salmon, filleted
2 large lemons
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of Fresh Tarragon, coarsely chopped (fresh dill will be a great substitute)
Paprika

Place salmon fillet on baking sheet & drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil. Season salmon with salt, pepper & a sprinkle of fresh tarragon. Cut 4 slices from center of 1 lemon and place on top of salmon, drizzle juice from remaining lemons. Shake lightly with paprika on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of fillet. Or place on grill & bake until done.

Fresh Roasted Asparagus with Pine Nuts

2 large bunches of fresh asparagus, washed & bottoms cut off
1 lemon , zest & juiced
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Optional- ¼ -½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (I use Sheep cheese as I am sensitive to cow products)
¼ cup of pine nuts

Arrange asparagus in shallow baking sheet drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper. Top with cheese, pine nuts, zest & juice from lemon. Toss well & bake in a 400 degree oven for 8-12 minutes till al dente.


Whipped White Cannellini Beans

Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, minced
2 (14-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained
1/4 cup chicken stock, heated
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a sauté pan add 2 Tbs around the pan of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until translucent. Add the beans followed by the warm chicken stock and cook until heated through. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree with a splash of olive oil, salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Thin with extra stock if the puree is too thick. Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.


The BEST EVER Carrot Cake!

1 1/2 cups Turbinado (unrefined raw sugar)
1 1/3 cups canola oil
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound organic carrots, grated (Lowes Foods offers “Full Circle” brand organic carrots)
1/2 cup minced fresh pineapple

Prepare 2 (8-inch) round cake pans, I use a canola spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.
Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

Frosting:
2- 8oz containers of “Tofutti, better than cream cheese”. (This is a soy base with no dairy products, can be found in Kroger Natural food section or health food store) make sure that you choose the one with the green top as the others contain trans-fats
½ cup of apricot preserves (Full Circle brand makes organic preserves, found in Lowes Foods)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix the Tofutti and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the preserves and mix until smooth.
Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
Cindy Karas ckaras@nc.rr.com

The Best Ever Easter Dinner!

Cindy's "Easy-licious" Hummus

Hummus ~
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 lemons freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
8 dashes hot sauce
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of cumin (optional)

Place garlic the food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning. If too thick, thin with a drizzle of olive oil and pulse till desired consistency. Serve chilled or at room temperature with veggies, apple slices, pita rice crackers or whole grain crackers.

Cindy's "Easy-licious" Hummus

Granola Bars

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (Bob's Red Mill now makes GLUTEN FREE oats for those of you with an allergy)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1-ounce unsalted butter or canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 cups chopped unsulfured dried fruit, any combination

Butter or oil a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a cookie sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine the honey, brown sugar, butter OR oil, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved. Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine. Turn mixture out into the greased baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Granola Bars

Sweet Potato Pancakes

I suggest using leftover roasted sweet potatoes from dinner the night before to save time in the morning. Double the recipe and freeze half for next time, it's just as good!

2 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all natural white, whole wheat)

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 - 2 cups milk (if dairy free use soy or rice milk)

2 tablespoons butter, melted (if dairy free use canola oil)

Combine mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter medium size bowl. In separate bowl sift dry ingredients and add to wet; mix well.

Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.

Serve with warm pure maple syrup (add a tablespoon of apricot preserves to syrup for something different)!

Cindy Karas

ckaras@nc.rr.com

Sweet Potato Pancakes