Smoked Mozzarella Pasta

I am not taking credit for this recipe as I got the idea from Whole Foods. I used to love getting some of their Smoked Mozzarella Pasta from the salad bar, but since changing my diet and lifestyle for lyme disease a lot of the ingredients don't mesh with me anymore. I wanted to come up with a healthier version of this pasta, so I got creative in the kitchen, because seriously that's what I do for fun!  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box of organic penne (I used the 365 brand)
• 2-3 thick slices of mozzarella or 1/3 of a block of smoked mozzarella 
• 1 red pepper
• 1 cup of chopped spinach
• 3/4 cup of plan-based mayo (I used Earth's Balance)
• 1/4 cup of organic white wine vinegar
• Handful of fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove
• Olive oil
• Pink salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil water and cook the penne pasta based on the box instructions. When pasta is done rinse noodles with cool water so they don't stick when refrigerated. 
2. Cut-up red bell pepper into small pieces or strips, chop up spinach. Cut mozzarella into small square pieces and set aside.
3. Add a drizzle of olive oil to pan on medium heat and add the red pepper and spinach, cover with lid. Let cook until tender, can remove the lid for 3-4 minutes and let finish cooking.
4. To make the sauce: in a bowl combine the 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 3/4 cup plant-based mayo, 1 tsp chili powder, fresh parsley, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes, stir well. Taste and if vinegar is too potent can add a little more of the plant-based mayo or some water to help lower the acidity. Add pink salt and pepper to taste.
5. Combine the sauce, cooked vegetables and the noodles and stir in the mozzarella chunks. Can add additional red pepper flakes for more spice. 
6. Let the pasta salad cool and set in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, but a few hours will do the trick. 

Taco Lasagna

Taco Lasagna: A mexican twist on the traditional comfort food! And it will fill-up the family for more than one dinner! I used all organic ingredients. If you are vegetarian, leave out the meat and add extra beans. For vegan or dairy-free use all beans and a plant or nut based cheese instead. 

Ingredients:

-Small corn shells
-1lb grass fed ground beef
-1/2 package of mild shredded cheddar (I like the thicker 365 brand bc melts like mozzarella)
-1 can garbanzo beans
-1 can black beans
-2 bell peppers (color of your choice)
-1 handful of romaine lettuce
-1 handful of fresh parsley
-Organic taco seasoning packet
-1 Tsp cumin
-1/2 an avocado
-1 container of salsa (I prefer the 365 black bean corn salsa)

RECIPE:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Brown the ground beef on stove top, mix with taco seasoning. At the same time add a drizzle of olive oil and heat can of garbanzo beans, black beans and diced bell peppers with cumin in a pan on low to medium heat. 

2. Once meat is done add the bell pepper/bean mixture to the the meat pan and stir. Add jar of salsa and mix well. 

3. Spray the bottom of Pyrex dish or wipe with olive oil. Add 6 corn tortilla shells for the bottom layer. Then top with the meat mixture, then cover with shredded cheese. After that, repeat the next layer by adding another 6 shells, then meat mixture, then cheese. 

4. Cook in oven at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until shells are crispy. Let cool and top with chopped romaine lettuce, cilantro and diced Avocado--can also drizzle on some fresh lyme juice. Cut with a knife and serve with spatula like lasagna.

Easy-Peasy Minestrone Soup

This soup is similar to my Vegetable Tortellini Soup which everyone enjoyed! This recipe can be made gluten free with quinoa noodles or by leaving out noodles completely. I use organic bone broth for many of my soups because of the collagen and gut healing benefits, however that can be subbed out with more veggie broth and water. 

Ingredients:

• 1 32 ounce container of organic bone broth
• 1 32 ounce container of organic vegetable broth
• 4 large carrots
• 4 celery stalks 
• 1 can of cannellini beans
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 1 cup of diced red onion
• 2 cups of frozen green peas
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 handful of fresh parsley leaves
• 5 oz (or half jar) of Tomato-Basil Sauce (I use 365 organic brand)
• 1 box of organic shell noodles or elbow quinoa noodles
• Italian seasoning
• pink salt and pepper

Recipe:

1. Wash and cut the carrots and celery into small pieces.
2. Dice 1/4 of a red onion into tiny pieces
3. Chop 2 cups of small spinach, removing the stems (set aside for the end)
4. Boil a pot of water for the noodles, and add noodles and cook to al dente (leave a little firmer than normal since they will be added back into hot water). Rinse with cold water so they don't stick together.
5. Heat a large pot on the stove and add the entire container of bone broth and veggie broth. Next, press 3-4 garlic cloves (depending on your preference), add the celery, carrots, onion, peas to the soup mixture *HOLD OFF on spinach*
6. Rinse and drain all of the beans and add them to the pot. 
7. Add the handful of fresh parsley (can rip into smaller pieces)
8. Add about 5 oz of marinara sauce to pot and stir well.
9. Let cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.
10. Lower heat and add cooked noodles, spinach, dry Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook until noodles are fully cooked and carrots are tender. 

This soup will last you several days and can simply be reheated over the stovetop and can re-season with Italian seasoning and pepper. 

Creamy Chicken + Wild Rice Soup (Dairy-Free)

This recipe is a healthier version of the famous Panera soup that I developed from scratch. I used all organic and fresh ingredients! This soup is dairy free and you can make it vegan by leaving out the chicken and using all vegetable broth instead of a combo of that an bone broth. Cream-based soups are delicious and satisfying during the winter months, but they can pack lots of extra calories and fat, so this recipe is a better-for-you alternative! Plus, bone broth is one of the best foods you can feed your gut this time of year to help fight and prevent illness and strengthen your immune system. If you are lactose intolerant, sensitive to dairy, or live a vegan lifestyle this is a great way to still enjoy a rich soup! 

Ingredients:

-4 cups of bone broth (1 container as you may use more)

-4 cups of vegetable broth (1 container as you may use more)

-3 cups of wild rice

-1 box of organic pre-cut chicken breast or 2-3 small organic chicken breasts cooked on the stove top over olive oil, salt and pepper. 

-1/4 cup of nutritional yeast

-1/4 cup of raw cashews (soaked prior to blending)

-1 regular potato or 2 small potatoes

-1 tbs white wine vinegar

-Olive oil

-Pink salt and pepper to taste

-Handful of fresh parsley

-3 large carrots

-3 large celery stalks

-1/4 cup of diced red onion

-3-4 cloves of fresh garlic

-1 can of organic cannellini beans

RECIPE:

1. Soak the cashews. Can do this overnight or I prefer to boil a small pot of water, remove from heat and then cover the cashews for 15-20 minutes. Drain once the time is up.

2. While the cashews are soaking you can boil a pot of water to cook the potato. Can leave the peel on if you prefer. I used two small golden potatoes and did not peel them prior to boiling. Once cooked set aside to cook and cut into small pieces. You can also cook the chicken breast if you did not buy the organic packaged version. Cook in olive oil with salt and pepper, remove from heat and use food scissors to cut into smaller pieces, set aside for later. 

3. Heat a large soup pot on the stove top with olive oil and add cut-up carrots and celery, diced onion, and press the 3 garlic cloves. Stir in 1-2 cups of bone broth and cook until the veggies start to soften. 

4. Add the wild rice to the pot mixture for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the remainder of the bone broth and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes with lid on. 

5. While the rice is cooking in pot, combine the cooked potato, raw soaked cashews, and rinsed beans into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. I added a little bit of water to help the consistency blend easier. You may want to use a spatula to scrape the sides and blend a few times to make sure the mixture is smooth. 

6. Add the cream mixture to the soup pot and stir well. Add 1 tbs of white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, pepper, and salt. If you are using chicken, now would be the time to add the cooked chicken to the pot as well. 

7. Cook on low heat until rice reaches desired texture. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking together or the bottom of the pot. You may need to add more broth or water as the cream mixture will be pretty thick, it depends what kind of consistency you like. I added more broth at the end and let it heat for a little while before serving.

Top with fresh parsley and can serve with oyster crackers or fresh bread if you eat gluten. 

Can store in the fridge and enjoy as left-overs, but may need to stir in more water prior to reheating as it will thicken up from being stored. 

Frozen Yogurt Fruit Cups

Recipe:

• 2 cups of granola
• 1 tbs honey
• 1/4 melted butter
• 4 cups of vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup of raspberries
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• Cupcake wrappers
• Organic food coloring of your choice (I used beet and spirulina)

Click to view video recipe or follow directions below

1. Mix together the granola, honey and melted butter in a bowl.
2. Fill cupcake tray with cupcake wrappers
3. Mix organic food coloring with yogurt I did 1 1/2 cups with each color
4. Add the granola to the bottom of the cupcake wrapper in tray, just enough to cover the bottom.
5. Carefully spoon in the yogurt to each cup, make sure to not overfill want to leave a little space between the top of the wrapper.
6. One-by-one add the fresh and frozen fruit to the top of the cups 
7. Put tray in freezer for 2-3 hours
8. To serve, let thaw for around 3-5 minutes before removing each cup and its wrapper to serve as a frozen treat! 

Italian Veggie Tortellini Soup

This soup is super easy and super satisfying for these colder winter evenings!! I used all organic products to put this recipe together!

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of cheese tortellini
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 large container of organic vegetable broth
• 5 large carrots chopped up
• Handful of fresh parsley
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 jar of organic basil marinara sauce
• Olive oil (for sauteing carrots) 
• Dried Italian seasoning 
• 2 cups of chopped spinach 
• Pink salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Cut up veggies and sauté carrots in pan with olive oil to soften a bit.
• Add zucchini, garlic, veggie broth, spinach, dry seasonings, and marinara to large pot on stove-top. (I only used 3/4 of the jar of marinara for a more soupy consistency)
• Add carrots and parsley to the pot. 
• When veggies seem softened enough, add the tortellini and cook for about 15 minutes or until soft. (careful to not overcook the pasta)
• Garnish with more fresh parsley, salt, pepper and optional-parmesan cheese

**Can also cook in a crock-pot, but same as the above recipe do NOT add in the tortellini until the last 15-20 minutes because they will get soft quick. Time will vary based on your crock-pot**

Crock-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 can of organic chickpeas/garbanzo beans 
• 1 can of organic corn
• 1 can or container of enchilada sauce (used 365 organic brand from Whole Foods)
• 2 small containers of green chiles (usually found on international aisle)
• 1 large container of chicken broth (I used organic chicken bone both for added health benefits)
• 1 lb of fresh chicken breast 
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove
• Pink salt and pepper
• 1 Tbs chili powder (can get away with more if you like a kick)
• 1 Tbs cumin
• Organic yellow corn tortilla shell or chips to break as topping
• Optional-shredded cheddar cheese to top

Recipe:

1. Add tsp of olive oil to pan and cook chicken breasts with salt and pepper, remove from heat and let cool.
2. Warm-up crock-pot
3. Once chicken it cooled cut or shred to smaller pieces, I prefer to use cooking shears
4. Add to crockpot: enchilada sauce, can of corn (undrained), drained and washed garbanzo beans, cut-up chicken, 1 pressed garlic clove, chicken broth, green chillies, fresh cilantro, chili powder and cumin and pepper and salt. 
5. Cooking time can vary based on your slow cooker's setting, I cooked mine for around 2 hours, could go longer on a very low setting. 
6. Once soup is warmed and cooked, serve with more fresh cilantro, tortilla crumbles, and cheddar cheese

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Bruschetta

A twist on the traditional holiday bruschetta appetizer! This snack is gluten free + can be made completely dairy free as well--see below for the substitutions. The prep and process is super easy and these can be refrigerated and reheated as well! 

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of mini brussels sprouts or 1-2 large bunches
• Gluten Free Ancient Grains Cracklebred (Natural Nectar Brand) or can use regular bruschetta toasts
• 1 Tablespoon of Balsamic vinegear
• 1/2 cup of almond mozzarella or shredded mozzarella 
• Pink salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• Splash of organic olive oil

Directions:

1. Cut the ends and take the outer leaves off the brussels sprouts and add to heated pan with olive oil, mix with 1 grated garlic clove and dash of pink salt and pepper. Make sure to stir and cook until they start to brown. 
2. Cut the large gluten-free toasts in half 
3. Remove the brussels sprouts from the pan into a small bowl, add 1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (a little goes a long way) Mix together.
4. Add 1/2 cup of the dairy free almond cheese or shredded mozzarella and put bowl in microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to melt the cheese if the brussels sprouts are not warm enough to do so. Mix once again.
5. Spoon the mixture onto the individual toasts and top with grated parmesan or leave the cheese out to make them dairy free.