Guacamole a Little on the Lite Side

Ingredients:

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut in chunks
1 tomato, peeled and chopped

Instructions:

In a food processor add onion, salt, lemon or lime juice, cottage cheese, garlic, cayenne pepper, and avocado. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and gently stir in the chopped tomato. Cover with plastic wrap allowing the plastic to actually touch the entire surface of the guacamole.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and serve with low-fat tortilla chips, carrot sticks, celery, green pepper strips, and pita chips.

I love this salad because I can fix it so far ahead and in the mornings when it’s too warm to cook.

Ingredients:
2 cups canned butter beans
2 cups canned kidney beans
2 cups canned green beans
2 cups yellow beans
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup red onions, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp celery seeds

Method:
Add all drained cans of beans to a large serving bowl. Add chopped celery, pepper and onion and gently stir.

In a saucepan, combine vinegar, olive oil, celery seeds and sugar and bring to a quick boil. Pour the mixture over the beans and gently toss.

Cover and marinate for 24 to 48 hours.

Very easy recipe to modify to the families likes and dislikes.

Ingredients:
12 oz mixed dried fruit of your choice (dates, apricots, raisins etc)
4 oz nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or Brazil nuts)
4 oz grated coconut
Grated rind of 1 orange or lemon
A little orange juice
Extra grated coconut for coating

Method:
Process dried fruit mixture and nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.

Add coconut and grated rind of orange or lemon and process again, adding the orange juice to make a firm paste.

Sprinkle coconut in an 8inch square cake tin, press the fruit mixture into the tin and finish off with some more coconut. Press down well!

Put a weight on top of the cake tin and chill in the fridge. When chilled and firm slice into 1inch squares and enjoy!

I love toasted sesame seeds. Brings just the right hint of flavor to an Asian inspired dish.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs green beans
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 cup water
1 onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
8 large lettuce leaves

Method:
Cut off the ends of the green beans.

In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add onion, garlic, lemon juice, beans and cauliflower florets. Reduce heat immediately and simmer the vegetables for about 8 minutes or until they are just tender. Drain and remove garlic.

In a little bowl, combine soy sauce 1/4 cup water and oil and pour over the vegetables. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Toast sesame seeds in the oven at 325° Fahrenheit for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

When ready to serve, toss the vegetables gently and drain the marinade. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a service platter and spoon the vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the tasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

I love bread. It’s my weakness. So I love when I can find a way to indulge a little and still keep it a little healthy.

Ingredients:

4 (1/4 oz.) packages active dry yeast
4 cups 110 degree warm water
1 cup 110 degree warm milk
6 Tbsp brown sugar substitute
1/8 cup sugar substitute
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups rye flour
10 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup caraway seeds

Directions:

1. Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and stir until the yeast is completely dissolved. Pour in the warm milk and both sugar substitutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar substitutes. Let yeast mixture sit until it becomes frothy.

2. Add the shortening, molasses and both types of flour. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until the mixture becomes very smooth.

3. Fold in the caraway seeds. The mixture should form a soft dough if not add 2 Tbsp flour at a time, stirring after each addition, until a soft dough forms.

4. Lightly flour a flat surface. Turn the dough onto the floured surface and knead with your palms until smooth and elastic. This process takes about 6 minutes or so.

5. Coat a large bowl with a non stick cooking spray on the bottom and up the sides. Place the dough into the bowl and coat with the cooking spray. Cover with a towel and place in a warm area allowing the dough to rise double its size. This takes about 1 hour to achieve.

6. Remove the towel and punch the dough down with your fists. Lightly flour the flat surface again and place the dough on the floured surface.

7. Divide the dough into four sections and form into loaf shapes. Place the loaves into 4 loaf pans.

8. Cover with towel again and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.

9. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the bread for 30 minutes or until golden brown on the outside. Allow to cool before slicing.

Nutritional Information: (Approximate Values based on 1 slice of bread)

106 calories; 1 g fat; trace saturated fat; 1 mg cholesterol; 225 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 3 g protein

Ingredients:

2 (5 ounce) packages mixed greens
2 cups fresh nectarines, sliced
1 (13 1/4 ounce) can beets, drained and sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese (or crumbled goat cheese if you can only find feta that is from cow’s)
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Place the greens into a large salad bowl.

2. Add the nectarines and beets and toss to fluff.

3. Sprinkle the salad with the feta cheese to cover the entire salad.

4. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire salad.

Nutritional Information: (Approximate Value per 1 cup serving)

85 calories; 4 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 4 mg cholesterol; 293 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiver; 3 g protein

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package baby carrots
2 Tbsp honey mustard (not the dressing, but the actual mustard)
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, snipped
2 tsp. unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Cover the bottom of a saucepan with a thin layer of water.

2. Place the carrots into the saucepan with the water and set over medium high heat. Bring to a steady boil.

3. Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Continue cooking on low 17 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

4. Drain well and place the carrots in large serving bowl. Stir in the honey mustard being sure to cover the carrots well.

5. Sprinkle the dill over the carrots and top with the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and distributed through the carrots.

You can also use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray instead of the butter. These carrots are great paired with sweet & tangy grilled turkey.

Nutritional Information: (Approximate Values based on 3/4 cup)

74 calories; 3 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 172 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 1 g protein

This recipe is SO yummy! Easy to make and the only thing unhealthy about it is the possibility of eating too much. lol

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1/3 cup celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup eggplant, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped (dried is fine as well)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/3 tsp sugar

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini, celery and eggplant and stir for another two minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for around 20 minutes.

3. Take pan off heat and let vegetables cool down.

4. Add all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.

5. Add the wine vinegar and sugar, reblend, then taste. You might need to add more salt and pepper.

This dip is awesome served cold with crackers, tortilla chips or pita bread.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 t cinnamon
2 t ginger
2 t aluminum free baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
2/3 c rapadura or sucanat
1/2 c coconut oil or melted butter
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
1/2 c carrot juice
1 t all natural vanilla extract
1 c carrots, finely grated
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c pecans, coarsely chopped (optional – may use walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan with olive oil cooking spray or butter.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix sugar, oil, 1/4 c pineapple juice, carrot juice and vanilla. Then mix into dry ingredients. Add crushed pineapple, carrots, raisins, and nuts.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake 60 minutes (for muffins, bake 20 minutes). Cool 5 minutes then turn onto wire rack to cool completely.

Are you looking for healthy, whole foods recipes? Visit Carrie Lauth at www.NaturalMomsRecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 T butter or olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cups chopped kale
1 small yam, diced
1 T paprika
1 T curry powder
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans great Northern beans, drained
2 T red wine vinegar

Heat oil or butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add kale and cook until wilted. Stir in yam and seasonings.

Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down until soup is at a simmer and cook 30 minutes. Add beans to pot and cook another ten minutes. Add vinegar, sea salt and papper.

Serve.

Are you looking for healthy, whole foods recipes? Visit Carrie Lauth at www.NaturalMomsRecipes.com