Creamy Lemon Dressing

This dressing is so good! I have been using it all over the place, but especially on my favorite salad.
Ingredients
1/4 c sugar (I used sucanat, but agave would work as well, you might be able to even decrease to 2 TB agave!)
1/2 c lemon juice
2 t onion
1/2 t salt
2/3 c  Olive oil
1-2 T Poppy Seeds (Opt.)

Combine everything but the oil and poppy seeds in blender or food processor, blend until well blended. Slowly add oil in steady stream until slightly thickened and smooth.  Add poppy seeds and blend for a few seconds.
Serve on your favorite salad, especially great with salads that have fruit in them.  This is enough for 2 good size salads.

My Favorite Salad (Right Now) Mango Kiwi Salad

Ingredients:

Spinach, or romaine lettuce, or a mix of your favorite greens.

2-3 mangos peeled and diced

3-4 kiwis peeled and diced

1/4 c dried Cranberries

1/2 c chopped almonds

Lemon Dressing

Place clean greens in a large bowl Pile remaining ingredients on the top and drizzle with dressing.

Serve and enjoy.

To make chopping the mango easier, if you are like me and terrible at it, peel them first. Then set them on your cutting board and cut down lengthwise about 1/3 in from the side.  Continue to make small slice in from the side to get as close to the seeds as possible.  Then flip and repeat for the remaining 3 sides.  The pieces that have been cut off are then easy to slice cleanly.  I then scarp all that I can from the seed/pit with my teeth and throw it in the compost heap.

Mexican Squash Soup

This is yummy! I made it a few years ago and we all liked and I forgot I had the recipe. We made it tonight and loved it, the kids even ate it.

Spiced Mexican Squash Soup

1 ½ T Olive Oil
2C chopped Onion
6 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tsp Oregano
1 Butternut Squash (peel and dice into ½ inch cubes)
3 C Water
1 tsp Salt
¼-1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 ½ tsp chili Powder
2 C fresh Tomatoes (diced) or 1 can
2C Red or Green Peppes (chopped)
2 C Corn Kernels
1 can black Beans (15 oz- drained and rinsed)

Saute Onion/Garlic with Oregano
Add in Squash with the water and remaining spices. Simmer 5-10 min, add tomatoes and peppers and simmer 10 more minute.
Stir in corn and black beans and simmer few more minutes until corn is tender.

Serve with Tortilla chips and avocado dices
(optional: serve with sour cream and shredded cheese)

Clean Food

My Mom bought this book and I am loving it. Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You by Terry Walters. (Sterling Epicure, 2009)
My favorite features:
1. Has recipes divided into the four seasons using the fresh produce available.
2. Everything is Healthy.
3. The index is search able by ingredient particularly by vegetable. For example there are 13 recipes using Kale, 11 with lemons, 5 with parsnips, 9 for Quinoa, 20 with tomatoes and the list goes on
4. Recipes call for few ingredients and are simple
5. The intro has some great info.

We have tried the cookies and the Pad Thai and are trying more this week- black bean burgers and shepherds pie.

Available on AMAZON HERE

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are so yummy, you would have no idea they were healthy. These are definitely"guest" worthy. I get nervous about serving our 'healthy food' to other people, but definitely not these cookies. The original recipe is listed and my changes are in the parentheses. Also next time I might add in some ground flax just for fun. They would also be yummy with raisins, cranberries, nuts, be creative.

Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil (I used melted Unrefined Coconut Oil)
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 c brown rice flour ( I used whole wheat)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips (or raisins, carob chips etc.)

Preheat oven to 350. F
In medium bowl or stand mixer combine bananas, oil, syrup and vanilla. Mix until combined well and banana is well mushed. In a separate bowl mix together, oats, flour, baking soda, coconut and salt. Add to the banana mixture and lightly mix until just combined (do not over stir.) Fold in Chocolate Chips.

Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and place cookies on wire rack.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen (we doubled it).

I am doing a bulk buy on the following items. Please order in 5 lb increments. Tax is being charged on these items. We should have them by the end of October. I do need payment before I order. I think the order due date will be the week of the 5th of October, but I am not absolutely sure. So For now please plan on getting Money to me or Melissa by the 5th. All prices are per pound, unless noted.

Item Price/lb Price w/Tax 5lb 10lb 15lb 20lb 25lb

Almonds 3.25 3.46 17.30 34.60 51.90 69.20 86.50

Pecan Halves 5.25 5.60 28.00 56.00 84.00 112.00 140.00

Sunflower Seeds 1.87 2.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00

Pumpkin Seeds 3.43 3.66 18.30 36.60 54.90 73.20 91.50

Cashew Pieces 4.31 4.60 23.00 46.00 69.00 92.00 115.00

Sesame Seeds 2.25 2.40 12.00 24.00 36.00 48.00 60.00

Chia Seeds 4.95 5.28 26.40 52.80 79.20 105.60 132.00

Organic Flax seeds 1.89 2.02 10.10 20.20 30.30 40.40 50.50

Dattes (Chopped) 1.65 1.76 8.80 17.60 26.40 35.20 44.00

Diced Apricots 3.15 3.26 16.30 32.60 81.50 97.80 114.10

Shredded Coconut 1.91 2.04 10.20 20.40 30.60 40.80 51.00

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 1 gallon 48.00 51.17 with tax

Organic, Raw, Dark Agave 1 gallon 35.00 37.31 with tax

We are not shipping these Items out. This is for local people in Utah Valley and the Salt Lake Valley, unless you can make arrangements for someone to come and pick your things up. If you live out of the area you can order things yourself on green smoothie girl's website. She does ask that you not start ordering until Tuesday as she will be out of town.

Thanks! Heidi

Apricot Almond or Raspberry Almond Muffins/Bread

I've had a raspberry almond bread recipe that is one of my favorite quick bread recipes for over 15 years. I looked forward to raspberries every year just to make this bread. I have slowly been making it healthier, and this year I think I reached a point it is worth sharing. I also fixed the problem of how overly crumbly it was. I made it once this week with apricots, and the next day with Raspberries. It was great with both.

Ingredients:

2 c Whole Wheat Flour

2 Tbsp Fresh groudn Flax Seed

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 c yogurt

1/2 c milk (You can substitue 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 cup of rice milk for the yogurt and milk)

2 eggs (or an additional 2 tbsp flax mixed with 1/4 c water)

1/2 sugar

1/2 c coconut oil

3/4 c toasted almonds

1 c diced apricots or Raspberries, or fruit of your choice. I used fresh in both cases, but I can't see why dried fruit wouldn't work. I also nkow that frozen raspberries work well, just keep them frozen until you add them to the batter.

If you are using the milk and lemon juice option, mix them together and set aside.

If you are using the Flax and water in place of eggs, mis together and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Melt coconut oil by placing in a bowl within a bowl of hot water.

Mix the coconut oil into the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand.

Add the milk, yogurt, eggs and almond extract. Mix until evenly mixed and no dry pockets remain.

Gently fold in the nuts and fruit.

Makes 1 9x5 loaf or about 18 muffins

The muffins take about 20-25 minutes (Mine were perfect after 23).

The bread will take 50 minutes to just over an hour.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean.

If baking in loaf pan let cool ten minutes before inverting or it will fall apart. Both the muffins and the bread will firm up as they stand.