Recipes

Spinach Salad with Quinoa, Garbanzo Beans, and Paprika Dressing

Credit: http://liveyourbestonline.com
Quinoa, a delicate grain with a texture similar to that of couscous, cooks up in just 15 minutes. It’s a complete protein that’s nutritious and tastes great.

  • 1-1/2 cups quinoa (9 to 10 ozs.), rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
  • 2 15- to 16-oz. cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
  • 1-3/4 cups diced cucumber, unpeeled, cut in 1/3-inch cubes
  • 2-1/2 cups small halved multicolored tomatoes
  • 1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup coarsely crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
  • 2-1/2 tsps. paprika
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

Place quinoa in a large saucepan; add enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 16 minutes. Drain. Chill until cool. Meanwhile, combine spinach, garbanzos, cucumber, tomatoes, mint leaves, and half of the feta cheese in an extra-large bowl. Add cooled quinoa and toss gently to blend. Whisk vinegar and paprika in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Season with more salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining feta over salad and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes.
Cooking Time: 15 to 16 minutes.
Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories • Protein • Fiber • Carbs • Fat • Total Saturated Fat
394 • 15 grams • 10 grams • 52 grams • 15 grams • 3 grams

Hearty Arugula Salad

This tasty and healthy salad goes great as a side with soups, sandwiches, steamed veggies, lean meat or by itself (if used as a main course, change servings to 4-6).

DRESSING:
  • 3 tsp. Garlic Cloves , minced, roasted
  • ⅓ cup Olive Oil
  • 2 ½ tbsp. Sherry Vinegar
  • ¼ tsp. Cumin , ground
  • ½ tsp. Dijon Mustard
  • Pepper , to taste

TOPPINGS:

  • 1 ½ cup Garbanzo Beans, cooked
  • 1 ½ cup Hearts of Palm
  • ⅔  cup Feta, crumbled
  • ⅓ cup Pine Nuts, lightly toasted
  • 2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped, preferably fresh

 

  • 10 cups Baby Arugula

TOPPING: Combine garbanzo beans, hearts of palm, feta cheese, pine nuts, and parsley in bowl.

DRESSING: Mix garlic, olive oil, cumin, mustard, salt and pepper in a bottle and shake well. We like to use Blender Bottles, but a whisk will do fine. Whisk well until all ingredients are combined.

In a separate bowl, add arugula, topping, and dressing. Toss until dressing lightly coats whole salad.

FAT-REDUCING TIP:  Salad well tossed, can taste just as good with a much less dressing as each leaf has been tossed to be lightly dressed and not drenched.
VARIATIONS: Use artichoke hearts in place of–or in combination with–hearts of palm.When toasting the pine nuts you can either toast them for about 2-3 minutes in a toaster oven or in an iron skillet until lightly browned.


 

Chocolate Oat Balls

For some healthy decadence that everyone will enjoy!
Ingredients:

  • 2  cups  Oats, toasted
  • 1/2 cup Nut Butter  (we like almond butter)
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup  Fruit & Nut Mix (any favorite blend will do)
  • 1/2  cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:
First, heat the oven to 350˚F.  Put the oats on a cookie sheet, and set them in the oven, for about 10–15 minutes, or until slightly golden.  Stir halfway through cooking.

While the oats are in the oven, mix the nut butter with the honey in a large bowl.  Then add the oats and nut mix.  Stir them all together and let them cool for 10 minutes. After they’ve cooled stir in the chocolate chips.  Roll the mix into, one inch balls then…ENJOY!

Notes: These are also good rolled in coconut or sesame seeds, for variation.  Also, if you want them more firm, you can refrigerate them before serving.


Nut Mix – Alderson’s

NOTE 1: Fruit & Nuts Ratio:  Our dried fruit-to-nut ratio is 1/2 cup fruit to 1 cup nuts, but this is entirely flexible:  for more sweet, add more fruit, for less carbs and more protein, add more nuts.  Also, while most raisins are sun-dried, most cranberries and blueberries are cured with sugar and even oiled, so look for those sun-dried or cured only with apple juice instead.

NOTE 2: OR, use any of your favorite dried fruits and nuts; we alternate with a cup of Macadamia or Hazel Nuts, for instance, or you can reduce the variety.  This is just one example, but anything works.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups Walnuts, Raw
  • 3 cups Pecans, Raw
  • 3 cups Cashews, Raw
  • 1 cup  Sunflower Seeds, Raw
  • 1 cup  Pumpkin Seeds, Raw
  • 1 cup  Slivered Almonds , Raw
  • 2 cups Raisins
  • 1 cup  Cranberries, Dried
  • 1 cup Banana Chips, Dried
  • 1 cup Blueberries, Dried
  • 1 cup Golden Raisins

Directions:
We use an 8-Quart plastic container with an air-tight lid.
Put the nuts in first, then the seeds, followed by the dried fruit.  Mix well by shaking in the sealed container.
 Note: The smaller seeds like to sift to the bottom, so shake the container upside down periodically.

NOTE 3: This is a very simple recipe, and any of the ingredients and quantities can be added or changed to your liking.  We tend to use, half the amount of dried fruit as we use nuts/seeds. e.g: 12 cups nuts/seeds and 6 cups dried fruit.


The Oatmeal Whey

Recipe By: Devani
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups Water
  • 2 cups Oatmeal
  • 1/4  cup Rice, Oat or your favorite Nut Milk
  • 1/4 cup Nut Mix
  • 1 Serving Whey Protein Powder (or to taste)

Directions:
In a pot, bring water to a boil, then add oatmeal.  Stir, then turn heat to low, put lid on and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Turn off heat, stir in whey protein powder and milk.

We like adding nut mix, banana’s and/or blueberries.