here is a gift since I havent posten in a while! AWESOME minestrone soup!

Minestrone Soup

Every body is a fan!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup minced white onions (about 1 small onion)
1/4 cup chopped zucchini
1/4 cup frozen cut italian green beans ( or regular frozen green beans with italian seasoning)
1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth (Swanson is good *note: Do not use chicken broth!*)

1 (15 ounce)can red kidney beans , drained
1 (15 ounce)can small white beans or great northern beans , drained
1 /2 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrots , julienned or shredded
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup small shell pasta ( We used whole wheat spiral pasta, whatever works. And we used probably about a 1 1/2 cups)

Directions

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.

Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.

Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices.

Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

Makes about eight 1 1/2 cup servings.

Number of Servings: 8

Ruth's Additions: We LOVED THIS!! I ADORED IT!! It is soo full of yummy healthy stuff and it is AWESOME! It is perfect for a snowy day and not that hard to make. TRY IT!! Infact, my mouth is watering thinking of having left overs for lunch!! Thanks TARA for the recipe! I LOVE IT!!! Keep the recipes coming! :)

Granola

Granola

The perfect stack for my kids...
Yet another good grab and go breakfast for Jeremy.

5 cups oats

1 cup brown rice crispy cereal

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup sliced or slivered almonds (optional)

1 cup Sucanat

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup honey or agave

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix together until combined. Press into a pan greased with coconut oil. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes . Be sure to remove from pan when still a little warm.

Ruth's additions: This is pretty versatile, play with it and enjoy! :)

Banana Oat Muffins

Whole wheat, Oat, banana bread!


My family loved these, they didnt last long...
Jeremy has asked me to make more
for a good grab-n-go breakfast

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used heaping 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce)
  
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs (I used 3 egg whites form my mother-in-law's chickens, but can use egg replacer too)
  
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (I did half oat flour)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, and mix well. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then add to batter. Blend in chopped nuts. Spread batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. (We did muffin tins)
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes (if doing muffins its 12-15 min). Cool on wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing

Ruth's additions: This is PERFECT, with the adjustment that I have noted, this is a SUPER healthy, SUPER yummy, grab and go breakfast for busy husbands, or kids! It is a super snack. I am thinking about trying to add some shredded zucchini or carrots to it! :) We will see.... ENJOY!!!

Waffles worth the calories... but there are hardly any! :)

SUPER DUPER YUMMY OAT AND WW WAFFLES

I ADORE THIS.... Karver and Kason wouldnt stop eating.. and Jeremy has yet to try it!

2-3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Oat flour (I just blended a heaping cup of oats in a blender)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (the non-aluminum kind of course;)

1 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 cup Sucanat

Mix the above ingredients together then add:

1 cups rice milk

1 teaspoons vanilla ( I love vanilla so I always add more)

2 Tablespoons coconut or olive oil

water to desired consistency (usually about 1-2 cups... but really just eye ball it)

Add wet ingredients and stir add just enough water for the consistency you like. These make good pancakes, and FAB waffles.

We ate ours with a YUMMY raspberry spread!!

Zucchini Casserole

Zucchini Casserole
This was SUPER good! Jeremy said "wow this has a lot of flavor"
I said "good flavor?"
He said "Yup! :)"

1 1/2 cups +1/2 cup rice milk

1 rounded Tablespoon veggie bullion

3 heaping Tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 Tablespoons Nama Shoyu

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (the healthy kind;) (optional)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

4 cups grated zucchini

6 cups COOKED brown rice

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 cup grated carrots

1 can sliced mushrooms, drained (we didnt use these)

1/2 cup sunflower seed sour cream

1/2 cup Vegenaise

1/2 Tablespoon fresh Lemon juice

5-6 slices of whole wheat bread

3-4 Tablespoons coconut oil

In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat stir together the 1 1/2 cups of the rice milk, the bullion, and garlic. While mixture is heating up, place flour and the other 1/2 cup rice milk in a small bowl or cup and whisk together. Then slowly pour into the sauce pan whisking to prevent lumps. Stir until it thickens a bit then add the nutritional yeast, Shoyu and Worcestershire sauce, stir and remove from heat.

In a large casserole pan place all vegetables and the COOKED brown rice.

Mix the sunflower seed sour cream, Vegenaise, and Lemon juice together. Add to the warmed rice milk mixture. Pour the final mixture onto the casserole mix to be sure everything is well coated.

Melt coconut oil and break bread into small pieces and coat with the coconut oil. Place the oil coated bread crumbs on top of the casserole. Or you can just not worry about the oil and just put the dry bread crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bread is browned on top and casserole is bubbly.

Prep time: (time you will spend in kitchen cooking ;) 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes


Ruth's additions : We really liked this, we halved it and it was still a little much for our little family! It is really tasty, we are going to try a bit more rice next time!! YUM!!!!

Healthy, Yummy Bread!

Super Great Whole Wheat Bread W/ Sunflower Seeds

Jeremy and I have both decided its our favorite

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
  
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup gluten
  
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, raw
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  

1. Mix together all ingredients except for the flour . Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and let stand for 30 minutes till bubbly. Then add in the remaining flour till the dough is ready to rise. The dough should not be sticky and springs back when touched. Let rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or double in size in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap. Form dough into a loaf and place in your loaf pan. Let rise another 30-45 minutes till double. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Butter the top when done and let cool.

Ruths Additions: I do mine in a bread maker (1 1/2 loaf size, with light crust), I want to try it in the oven as soon as I get another loaf pan. Also, I have tried cutting the oil in half by substituting pure non sweetened applesauce, that worked GREAT! I tried to do no oil, full applesauce, but my wheat flour was a little old, so it didnt turn out great. I will try that again and let you know how that goes! :) ENJOY!!!

Who, What, Why? Answered for you!

Is every body in your family doing this "diet"?
What is your new "diet"?
Why are you doing this "diet"?
I have heard these questions and many more since my family has started eating healthier. I am here to answer these questions and any more that you might have. Starting here with these questions above... and it starts....... NOW!!!

Is every body in your family doing this "diet"?

My answer is simply yes and no..... :) Simple right?!

My husband said at the beginning, "You just cook and I will eat it." So that is what he has done. He eats what we have here for breakfast, then for lunch he does his own thing at work, (which is usually not in our "diet") and dinner is again home.

My kids do, because I cook for them!

And I do.

As far as parents, sibling, aunts, uncles .... no. They ask many questions about it, and sometimes try recipes and help me find new ones, but it is an independent idea. Anybody is free to join in if you want! :)

What exactly is our new "diet"?

This is by far the most frequently asked question.

At first I often answered with a "it is vegan, but not vegan."

For some reason that answer didnt satisfy people, I dont know why!

So I have learned to describe it a little better. We never, or rarely, eat animal products. We do rarely eat eggs (from my mother-in-laws chickens).

I am more likely to eat fresh caught fish than something out of the freezer section at our grocery store, but we do try to avoid animal products all together.

We dont eat foods with preservatives, or processed foods. The more natural the better. :)

Fresh fruit and veggies from a garden? PERFECT!! Wheat from my husbands family fields? GREAT!!! Hot dogs packaged who knows where, with who knows what inside? NO!

Now, there are times when we stay at a family members house, or somebody takes us out to eat. In these situations we eat what is given to us. I don't want to be a pain, a bother, or anything. Moderation.... right? We eat natural at home, but we are not militant.

That's what we dont eat, what we Do it is

Lots of veggies, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, honey..... etc....

This should answer the what..... any more questions just comment and I will try to answer them.

Why are you doing this "diet"?

This too is a frequently asked question.

This one has never been difficult for me to answer.

Just like my blog title... JUST TO BE HEALTHY!

My family has a history of cancer.

My sister-in-law (has stage 4 breast cancer) she mentioned a book called "The Anti-Cancer book" it talks about eating more veggies, grains, and less meat.

I researched it. Another book that was suggested to me by a friend is "The China Study" It is amazing what I found...simply stated (with all the boring facts, book titles, and statistics) there are connections between what you eat, and your risks of cancers and disease. (again, I can go more in depth if you wish, just let me know).

Jeremy's family has a very scary and dangerous liver problem that many of his relatives have died from. Jeremy was tested positive for it when he was younger and I want him to live a LONG and HEALTHY life, so I am doing what I can to make that happen.

In the end, if I die of cancer, and Jeremy from liver disease, I will still be happy with our "diet".

It makes me FEEL GOOD! I have energy, I feel light and happy.

I have been told my skin, and hair look good, I have lost weight.

I like to watch my kids eat black beans, brown rice, and broccoli for dinner and not chicken nuggets and fries.

I say "diet" because it is not a diet to loose weight, or fit into a new pair of jeans, or to get back to my pre-baby weight (which i might need). But it is a new healthier way of life.

Guacamole Salad

Guacamole Salad

SUPER YUMMY!!

RECIPE!!! this is from a blog of a friend of mine! Anne Jackman! All of her stuff is not ALL natural, but looks good! This is all natural, preservative free!! Thanks Anne for letting me share it!!

This is super yummy!! I dont even have any additions!! Just enjoy!!!

Chili-Stuffed Red Pepper

Chili-Stuffed Red Pepper

WOW!!! we LOVE!!!

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1 large portabello mushroom, diced (we dont like mushrooms, and they werent missed!:)
  
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (or more to taste)
• 1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed well (or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans)
• 1 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 1 15-ounce can can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder* (or more, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 red bell peppers (We used 2 BIG ones, could have done 3)
  
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet or saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring often until it softens, about 4 minutes. (Add a splash of water as necessary to prevent sticking.) Add the mushrooms and jalapeno and continue to cook until mushrooms soften.
2. Add black beans, corn, tomatoes, and seasonings. Cook for a few more minutes to allow most of the tomato liquid to cook off.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. While the chili is cooking, prepare the peppers by cutting them in half through the stem end, removing the seeds and membranes, and rinsing the insides to make sure all the seeds are out. Check to see if they will stand upright, and if not, peel a strip off of the back side. Oil a baking dish big enough for the peppers (or line it with parchment paper). Fill each pepper half with the chili and place it in the baking dish. Bake until peppers are tender, about 40 minutes.
5. Sprinkle each pepper with sliced green onions and serve hot.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 50 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 5

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per 2 pepper halves): 190 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1.2g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 820.1mg sodium, 840.1mg potassium, 38.3g carbohydrates, 11.7g fiber, 9.4g sugar, 10.3g protein, 5.7 points.

Ruth's Additions: We really really loved this! My men were really hungry, so I handed my husband a bowl with some of the prepared chili in it, and some chips for appetizer, and it was FABULOUS!!! The meal was GREAT too! Kason LOVED IT!! Jeremy had seconds!

We talked and decided we will try the chili on some brown rice next time!! Also, could have some in a tortilla or with chips! It was GREAT!! :) I am sooooo excited to try it!! This is a MUST MUST MUST try!!

Warm summer salad

Warm Summer Salad

Jeremy and I are fans, Kason too..
(Jeremy made comments while eating about how good it was)
((This is uncommon))

For the brown rice:
1 cup brown rice
2 1/2 cups water
Pinch kosher salt

For the tomato-cumin vinaigrette:
1 large tomato, cut in chunks
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (Used Lime juice instead)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon cumin, freshly toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, cut in half and sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
2 ears corn, kernels removed from the husk(We dont like mushrooms so we didnt add them, and didnt miss them!)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 can, 15 ounces, black beans, drained
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into strips
1/4 cup, packed cilantro leaves
Tomato cumin vinaigrette, divided
Brown rice
3/8 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup pumpkinseeds, toasted (YUM)

For brown rice, combine the rice and water in a 2-quart saucepan, season with a little salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45-50 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and cool to room temperature, fluffing with a fork a few times.

For vinaigrette, combine the tomato, garlic, vinegar and oil in the bowl of a food processor; puree and transfer to a mixing bowl. Whisk in the green onion, cumin and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

For salad, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion and garlic. Saute a few minutes until onions begin to caramelize. Add the mushrooms and corn, season with salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms are done; about 5 minutes. Add black beans and red pepper and heat through. Remove from the heat, toss in the cilantro and 4-5 tablespoons tomato cumin vinaigrette. Check seasoning and set aside.

Spoon the rice into a bowl and top with the spinach. Pour the warm vegetables over the spinach (this will wilt the spinach slightly) and sprinkle with the pumpkinseeds.

Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of tomato cumin vinaigrette, and save remaining for future use.

Ruths additions: This is really GOOD!! We even used canned corn (GASP!) and it was good! Jeremy seemed to really enjoy it and I know I did! The texture was AWESOME! I cooked the rice in the rice cooker (WAY EASIER) and it was perfect!

Thanks BONNIE!! :)

Keep the recipes coming if anybody finds anything you want me to try!

Quinoa Pilaf with Corn and Jalapenos

Quinoa Pilaf with Corn and Jalapenos

Jeremy and I are both fans!!

even non quinoa lovers ARE FANS!
Thanks BONNIE! :)

Ruth's additions: I used veggie broth instead of chicken broth, I also make it with the Cafe Rio black beans also on this blog.. We put it on a bed of lettus with the black beans and quinoa and same salsa on top! :) YUMMMMM We even crumbles some corn chips on the very top! :)

** The 1st time I made it I failed... I burned it and didnt seed the jalapeno very well, so it was HOTT!!
2nd time was SUPER yummy! Just keep the temp low, it will probably take longer to cook than the recipe said, also, I had to add more broth/water.

Creamy pasta!

Creamy Pasta

I was fan, Jeremy was a fan after adding "Franks" hot sauce :)

½ cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1 cup water
1 cup rice milk
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound pasta whole wheat or spelt

Cook macaroni according to package directions. While your macaroni is cooking, work on the "cheese" sauce. In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the water, rice milk, and oil and whisk briefly. In another bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together.
HEAT a medium saucepan. Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan, and slowly add the wet ingredients, continuously whisking over medium heat. Once all the ingredients are mixed, turn up the heat a little until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Keep whisking as the mixture thickens as soon as it is nice and thick, remove from heat.
Your pasta should be done and drained and returned to pan add the cream to the macaroni stir until coated. Sprinkle individual servings with salt and pepper to taste.

Ruth's additions: I really was rather pleased with this. It was tasty and the texture was good. Jeremy said it was bland untill he put some "Franks Hot Sauce" on it. Kason couldnt get enough! :) I halfed the recipe because it seemed like A TON, and it was the perfect amount for the 3 of us (Karver is at grandma's for a few days).

Potatoe Tocas! YUMM

Potato Tacos Recipe

I'm a fan, Jeremy is a fan, we are all fans! :)

Ingredients
10 fresh corn tortillas
2 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
4 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
2 poblano chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 ear white corn, stripped of kernels (or an ear of corn on the side!)
2 scallions, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro - I like lots, but depending on your taste, you might want 1/4 cup chopped
1 lime
Fresh avocado, diced

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a skillet add 3 tbsp of the olive oil and add the potatoes and fry them until crispy and brown on the outside and cooked inside. Meanwhile slice the poblano chiles in half, and while wearing gloves, remove the ribs and the seeds. Add the peppers cut-side down to a baking dish that has been lightly coated with olive oil and roast them in the oven for about 10 minutes. Chop them up and set aside. (We did do this, because I didnt have this, it still tasted good!)

When the potatoes finish cooking remove them to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. of oil to the skillet and cook the onions, garlic, celery, bell pepper, and corn. Add salt & pepper to taste, and juice the lime and add it to the skillet and cook on low for 5 minutes. Stir well.

Heat a large skillet or griddle and warm up the tortillas on each side, about 5 minutes per side. If you don't do this, they will have a hard, rubbery texture. Warming them helps to soften them.

To assemble the tacos, place some potato on the tortilla, some roasted poblanos, then the veg/lime mixture, and top with scallion, cilantro, and avocado.

Ruth's additions: We really enjoyed this! We tried it as a taco, and a taco salad kind of deal! I liked it better as a taco, even though it was a bit messy! :) YUMMMMM!! We also topped ours with a fresh salsa (tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, garlic an cilantro!)

Much thanks to my sister Emily for this recipe!!

Breakfast for CHAMPS !

Wonderful Pancakes!
Jeremy LOVED , I LOVED the boys loved!

6-8 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon sea salt
3 teaspoons baking powder (the non-aluminum kind of course;)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup Sucanat
Mix the above ingredients together then add:
2 cups rice milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 Tablespoons coconut or olive oil (I used applesauce)
water to desired consistency
Add wet ingredients and stir add just enough water for the consistency you like some people like thinner crape like pancakes some like them thicker and fluffier. I just add some water stir and add a little more if it's still too thick. Also you can always add more flour if you accidentally make them too thin. See so Simple!!!

These are SUPER good, and super healthy! :) They make a ton, so you can make them all and freeze some, or you can half it, but it still makes alot!

We made those with this!

Freezer Jam the healthy way!



I'm a fan, Jeremy (who is a huge jam fan) LOVED THEM!

4 C. crushed strawberries
(I just wash and hull the strawberries and then pulse them in the blender until desired consistency)
1 1/2 C. Agave
1 pkg powdered pectin (low or no sugar kind)
3/4 C. water

Combine strawberries and agave in a bowl. Combine pectin and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin to fruit mixture; stir 3 minutes. Ladle jam into can or freezer jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Put lids on. Let stand at room temperature until set. Label and freeze. Yield: about 7 half-pints

POT PIE, AMAZING STYLE!!!

Super Simple Veggie Pot Pie

I cant tell you how BIG a FAN I am, we all L-O-V-E-D this!

4 medium carrots, sliced

3 medium potatoes, chopped
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
4 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups mushrooms of choice (I have used chopped Portabello, fresh sliced, or canned sliced when I didn't have fresh;)
1 Large onion, chopped
2 cups Frozen green peas
Biscuit Topping (recipe below)
Cook carrots and potatoes in water in saucepan until tender-crisp.
Blend flour into melted coconut oil in medium saucepan over low heat.
Cook for 3 minutes or until smooth and bubbly, stirring frequently.
Stir in vegetable broth gradually; increase heat to medium. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
Stir in poultry seasoning, salt, pepper.
Place chopped onion, mushrooms, and frozen peas in baking dish or dishes. (I have used a deep cake pan or 2 deep 9 inch pie pans. If they are small pie tins you could probably use three or 4 my deep dish ones were really full. You can see in the picture that they some spilled over the sides while cooking;)
Drain carrots and potatoes place them in the pan also.
Pour in broth mixture over the vegetables.
Top with Biscuit Topping.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
Biscuit Topping
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups rice milk
8 Tablespoons olive or coconut oil
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add milk and oil all at once; mix just until moistened.

Ruth's additions: I cant tell you how much we LOVED this! WOW!!! This is by far the most AMZING thing we have had since our diet change! This is DEFIANTLY be a regular! I am going to try applesauce substitute for oil in the biscuit topping. The only thing I did different was no mushrooms because we dont like those. Plus this makes A TON!! I cut it in half, and it still made 2 pie tins! :) WOWOWOOWOW really TRY THIS ONE!!!

From simplehealthytasty.com

Veggie chilli

Veggie Chilli

We could eat it again, and Jeremy got seconds

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic, onion, and carrots in the pot until tender. Mix in the green bell pepper and red bell pepper. Season with chili powder. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
2. Mix the mushrooms into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes with liquid, black beans with liquid, kidney beans with liquid, pinto beans with liquid, and corn (we didnt use corn, and rinsed the beans and added some veggie broth). We also added zucchini) Season with cumin, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.(We did ours in the crock pot, put everything in the morning and cooked on low for about 5 hrs.)
   

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 82 | Total Fat: 1.7g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Ruth additions: We did like this, it was bit spicy for karver and Kason, although they both ate it. Chilli does seem like a great crock pot meal! We like to do crock pot meals on sunday, so if you any of you have good healthy veggie chilli recipes feel free to let me know! :)

Potatoes and things!

Potatoes and Things


I am a HUGE FAN!!! Jeremy is TOO! :) YEA!!!

This was orignally called the "mountain mans breakfast" but according to Jeremy it should be against the law to call it that because there is no meat! hahaha

Potatoes and Things or Mountain Man Breakfast
Potatoes, diced or shredded (we actually had some sweet potatoes
we needed to use too so we put some of those in too)
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced or chopped
4-6 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
1 Large onion, sliced or chopped
Other Veggies of choice (some of our favorites are zucchini or
summer squash, corn, and tomatoes)
1 Tablespoon Nama Shoyu (we didnt add this I WOULD RECCOMEND NOT ADDING IT)
Coconut oil
Sea Salt to taste
Other Seasonings to taste (we like garlic, pepper, no salt
seasoning mix like Mrs. Dash Table Blend, Basil, etc.)

In a large skillet, (I think a well seasoned cast iron skillet is best for this although it does still stick some it's the best option I have found, other then teflon) heat some oil, you need enough to coat the potatoes well. Add potatoes, salt, and other seasonings of choice. Cook until potatoes are done to your liking, stirring often. If you like soft chewy potatoes cook on a lower heat, if you like them kind of crispy on the outside and soft inside cook at a high heat. If you want them totally crispy you will probably have to deep fry them. We like them the second way mentioned.
When almost done, add in the other veggies

On a plate pile on the hash browns, and veggies you may also add some good ketchup or salsa and top with good yellow sauce on top if desired.

Ruth's additions and Yellow sauce recipe: We really loved this, the one shown above is Karver's so that is why it is a small portion with natural organic Ketchup and yellow sauce to dip the veggies in. We all LOVED this and we will be making it again.

Yellow Sauce

1 ½ cup raw cashews

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ cup water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place all ingredients in blender. (Wet ingredients first!) Blend until smooth. Use as a sandwich spread, a dip for crackers or veggies, for nacho cheese, or anything else you want to use it for.

(this is REALLY good! we made it for the potatoes and things dinner. Jeremy added franks hot sauce with it, and he LOVED it!!)

from the website simplehealthytasty.com

whats for lunch?

Interestingly enough, lunch has been the most difficult meal for us to figure out. We are so used to eggs, or chicken nuggets, or tortillas with cheese. We are still looking for simple and quick ideas if anybody has any, but here are a few things we have figured out...

PBH ( Real peanut butter, and honey on homemade wheat bread) YUM!!!! of course with an apple, or carrots stick, or celery sticks

Fruit bowl with whole wheat bread

and of course, left overs from the night before! :)

If you have any ideas please feel free to let me know!!!

Cafe Rio all natural

Cafe Rio (all natural)


I'm a fan and so is Jeremy!!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 c. uncooked rice (long-grain, white rice) (I used brown)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth (I vegetable broth)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Put these on top of lettuce, and top with

Just Like Mom's Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 cup of Sunflower Seed Sour Cream (recipe below, Note: This can be left out if you are in a hurry or just want it more simple! It's not quite as rich, thick, and creamy, but still really good)

1 cup Vegenaise

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (more if you like it really tangy)

1 Tablespoon Parsley

Chives (optional) (i didnt use chives)

Dill (optional)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/3 teaspoon garlic granules

salt & pepper to taste I usually use about 1/4 teaspoon of each

MAKES THE PERFECT SALAD!!!


Ruth's additions: I made these as salad toppers!! It was AMAZING!! I loved it soo much I ate the left overs for lunch the next day, and I dont eat left overs. The picture shown is Jeremy's, he ate his like a taco, with lots of lettuce, he used flour tortilla, because we are trying to get rid of them, but wheat would be just fine! We topped with the "just like mom's homemade ranch dessing" from Simplehealthytasty.com.. YUM!!!! I had mine as a salad with lots of greens, and topped with beans, rice, and healthy ranch! :) ENJOY!!!!

Yummy (secretly healthy) smoothies

I just made some smoothies for Jeremy and I to have for breakfast! They are SOOOOO yummy and SOOOO healthy (didnt know those went together right?)

Yummy (secretly healthy) Smoothies


The whole family is a HUGE fan! :)

2-3 cups frozen fruit of choice (I used tropical blend, then another batch with berry blend)
2-4 hand fulls of spinach (you wont ever taste it)
1-2 cups water
2 over flowing spoon fulls of orange juice

*the berry blend smoothy needed a bit of sweetening, so I dropped in some of natures sweetener (honey) these are SUPER yummy and SUPER good for you!

You may have notice that all of the ingredients have a large range for the quantity, that is because it is really up to you.
You decide how you want it to taste, look, feel, well.. you get the point

I made a big batch and put it in jars and placed it in the fridge/freezer, a quick, easy, tasty, and healthy meal or snack!! AWESOME!

Quinoa Patties

Quinoa Patties

I'm a fan, Jeremy is kinda a fan

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup fresh Parmesan, grated
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup whole grain breadcrumbs (or gluten free bread crumbs)
1 T extra virgin olive oil ( I used coconut oil)

1. In a medium bowl combine quinoa, eggs, and salt. Stir in garlic, chives, onion, cheese and cayenne pepper. Add breadcrumbs and allow to sit for a couple of minutes.
2. Form into 1 inch patties. The mixture should be very moist. You may need to add water or extra breadcrumbs to moisten or make the mixture dryer.
3. Place a large skillet over medium low heat. Heat olive oil. Add as many patties as your skillet can handle, being careful not to overload it so that you have trouble flipping the quinoa patties.
4. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. If after 10 minutes your patties aren’t brown turn the heat up and cook (carefully to avoid burning) until they brown. Flip and cook for 7 more minutes on the other side.

Ruth's additions: I found I didnt need to cook them as long, about 5 min per side. We ate them in a whole wheat bun, with avocado, sprouts, green pepper and some hot sauce! :) Even Karver liked it!