Another GREEN detox smoothie!

• 2 pears, peeled, cored and chunked
• 2 kiwi, peeled
• 1 large handfull frozen berries
• 4 leaves dinosaur kale, stems removed
• 1/2 small bunch parsley
• 1/2 head romaine, roughly chopped
• 1 cup water
• 2 Scoops of SP Complete
• 1 Scoop of SP Whey Pro (optional)
  

Place all in blender and blend until smooth. Add more water (or coconut water for more flavor) to thin to desired thickness. This one comes out a dark purple when mixed berries are used.

Another GREEN detox smoothie!

Drunkin' Chicken Stew

• 2 lbs of organic boneless, skinless breast of chicken cut into 1“ chunks
• ½ cup of Gluten Free all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup of organic canola oil
• 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 bottle of Guiness Extra Stout
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 14.5 oz of Free range organic chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, freshly chopped
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs of thyme or ½ teaspoon of dried
• 1 Lb. of small red potatoes cut in quarters or halves depending on size
• 3 carrots cut into 1” chunks
• 2 cups of fresh green beans cut in half
• 1 cup of frozen peas

Combine flour, salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and coat well. Reserve the remaining flour for later.

Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat and add the chicken in batches not to overcrowd. Cook turning to brown on all sides for about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Add the onions, garlic and herbs to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes (you may need to add a bit of additional oil). Add the Guinness; boil for 1 minute scraping up all the brown bits. Add to the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the broth to the cooker and cover.

Cook on low for about 2 ½ hours.

Sprinkle the reserved flour in ¼ cup of water, mix well and add to crock pot stirring in to blend. Add veggies and cook on high for about an hour or until tender.

Test for any additional seasonings.


Recipe from “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Food Alternatives” by Cindy Karas

Drunkin' Chicken Stew

Dairy Free... Creamy Dreamy Sweet Potato Pie

• 1 (8-ounce) package Tofutti mock cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes (you can also substitute pumpkin or squash)
• 1 cup Turbinado sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
• 1 piece pre-made pie dough

Place 1 piece of homemade pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the Tofutti mock cream cheese until smooth. Add the sweet potatoes and beat well. Add the sugar and salt, and beat again to combine. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, coconut milk and oil, and beat into the mixture. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. Serve cold!

From “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Food Alternatives” by Cindy Karas

Dairy Free... Creamy Dreamy Sweet Potato Pie

Fantastic dairy substitutes

from Beverly Bennett's new book

Vegan Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett's new book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking is packed with delicious vegan recipes. Beverly's recipes are very likely to become standards in your kitchen, especially if you have food allergy restrictions.

Here are two dairy alternatives that are sure to please. For more I recommend investing in this book. Despite it's lack of visual appeal it is definitely worth it to your taste buds!

Raw Parmesan Cheese

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

You can easily and quickly whip up this cheesy, slightly nutty-tasting Parmesan-style seasoning with the help of a food processor.

• 3/4 cup whole raw almonds
• 3 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (see Note)
• Pinch sea salt

Place almonds and sesame seeds in a food processor fitted with an S blade and process for 1 or 2 minutes or until finely ground. Scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula.

Add nutritional yeast flakes and salt, and process for 1 more minute.

Use as a condiment to add flavor to salad dressings, sauces, vegetables, pasta, and other dishes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Variation: You can substitute other varieties of nuts, such as walnuts, cashews, or pine nuts.

Note from Beverly: Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast, which differs greatly from the types of yeast used for brewing and baking, and has a surprisingly nutty, cheeselike flavor. It contains a wide assortment of minerals and B vitamins and can be a reliable source of B 12 for vegans. Look for in prepackaged and in bulk in grocery and natural foods stores.

Raw Cheddar Cheese Spread

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

This mock cheddar cheese spread is made with raw cashews and sun-dried tomatoes and requires no cooking.

• 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoons raw tahini
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Combine 1 1/2 cups water, cashews, and sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 2 hours. Drain off soaking water and discard.

Transfer cashews mixture to a food processor fitted with an S blade. Add remaining 1/3 cup water, tahini, lemon juice, liquid aminos, garlic powder, and paprika. Process for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula and process for 1 or 2 more minutes or until completely smooth. Transfer mixture to a small bowl.

Serve as a spread for raw veggies, fruit, crackers, slices of bread, or for sandwiches. Store spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Variation: Turn this spread into a mock cheddar cheese sauce by blending it with an additional 1/4 cup water or more, and use it as a sauce of dip for raw or cooked vegetables. For extra flavor, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes.

Fantastic dairy substitutes

Moroccan Chicken with Figs

Enjoy this hearty stew like dish on a cold winter night with a quality crusty whole grain bread... Mmmmm! (see recipe below this for spice mixture)

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest grated and juiced plus 2 lemons, quartered, for garnish
• 1 teaspoon harissa, (found in health food & specialty food stores)
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Pinch saffron strands
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch half moons or chunks
• 4 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried figs, quartered
• 1/4 cup black olives, pitted and halved
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a medium glass bowl, combine the spice mixture, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and harissa. Add the chicken breasts and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Warm the chicken broth and add the saffron strands, then allow to steep at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. In a Dutch oven over high heat, brown the chicken in 2 tablespoons olive oil, about 2 to 3 minutes tossing occasionally to brown on all sides. Set chicken aside on a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium; add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and sauté the onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Place the chicken on top of the onions and add any accumulated juices from the plate. Arrange the zucchini and tomato quarters on top of the chicken and tuck in the figs and olives. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pour the chicken broth mixture over the chicken mixture. Cover and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Let cook undisturbed 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is tender. Remove from the oven and transfer the contents of the Dutch oven to a large serving dish.

Heat a small saucepan over high heat and add the pine nuts and stir to toast about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the nuts over the vegetables and chicken on the serving dish.

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve, spooning over the sauce in the dish and garnishing each plate with the lemon quarters and good whole grain crusty bread.

Spice Mixture:

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine the spices in a coffee grinder and grind to a medium-fine powder. Add the kosher salt and pepper.

Recipe by Cindy Karas from: “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Food Alternatives for the Body & Soul”

Moroccan Chicken with Figs

Grilled Fresh Peaches

Wash & dry peaches well. Cut in half & remove pit and score lightly with a sharp knife.
Grill on cut side first to sear & get some grill marks on it. Turn over & & grill the back side.

DONE! Serve hot or cold; both are great!

Recipe from “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Alternatives” by Cindy Karas

Grilled Fresh Peaches

Frozen Banana Sorbet

• 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.
You can use most frozen fruits. Just note that fruits with seeds do not blend well. My favorite is Mango!

From “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Food Alternatives” by Cindy Karas

Frozen Banana Sorbet

Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice- or Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder- mild or hot, to taste
• Dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 14.5-oz. can pumpkin (or 2 cups fresh, peeled and cubed) or other winter squash
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cubed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk (or plain rice milk), to taste
• Lime zest for garnish

In a heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Add in the chopped carrots and celery, and stir in the spices. Lower heat and gently cook for about 10 minutes, being careful not to brown the onions.

Add in the pumpkin, sweet potato and broth, and sherry; stir together. Cover and bring to a slow simmer, cooking the soup for about 25-35 minutes until the vegetables are very tender.

Remove from heat, and puree the soup with an immersion hand blender right in the pot; or puree it batches in a blender or food processor (carefully ladle the soup into a blender not more than half full, cover tightly and puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy; return the puree to soup pot). Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Return the pot to low-medium heat. Stir in the coconut milk and blend till smooth. Warm through for ten minutes.

Recipe from “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Food Alternatives for Body & Soul” by Cindy Karas

Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Soup

Mom Tilbe's Piecrust

My mom made the most delicious pies and her crust was always so flakey; just like it should be. I have revised her recipe to be more healthy and free from Trans fats. If making a savory pie such as sweet potato or a quiche, try adding a teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary to the flour.

• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups of shortening, (I use “Earth Balance” shortening. You can purchase at any health food store).
• 2 eggs
• milk
• dash of salt

1. Slightly beat eggs in measuring bowl; add enough milk to measure 1 cup.
2. Mix flour & salt and cut in shortening.
3. Add egg mixture and mix to form a ball of dough. Cut in half and separate for top & bottom layers.
4. Roll out dough & form one layer into pie plate.
5. Place filling inside & repeat with remaining layer on top.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. Watch carefully not to burn.

Recipe from “Gourmet Sensations, Healthy Food Alternatives” by Cindy Karas

Mom Tilbe's Piecrust