Cinnamon apple crisp

 

6 apples, peeled and chopped
2 T sugar
2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1.5 tsp lemon juice (can omit if using Granny Smith or other more tart apples)
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup brown sugar
1.5 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup flour (okay to use whole wheat)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (or can sub 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup avocado oil)
1/4 tsp salt


1) Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

2) In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 1 tsp of the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.

3) Add the topping ingredients to the bowl (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and butter/oil). Mix until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.

4) Spread topping over apples in the baking dish, and gently pat to even it out. Bake 40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm and enjoy!

Simple veggie fried rice

1 orange pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1.5 cups cooked rice
1 garlic clove
1 egg
mixed frozen veggies (corn, peas, carrots, and green beans)
2T soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sriracha sauce (add more depending on how spicy you want it)


Saute pepper and onion in a little oil until soft.  Add rice and garlic clove and stir, cooking for 1-2 mins.  Move everything to the side of the pan and scramble an egg next to the rice mixture.  When the egg is cooked, combine with rice.  Add a few ounces of the frozen mixed veggies and stir until warm.  Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha sauce.

Double chocolate homemade brownies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 teaspoons sea salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup avocado oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, water, and vanilla.
• Sprinkle the dry mix over the wet mix and stir until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it'll be thick - that's ok) and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 48 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (note: it's better to pull the brownies out early than to leave them in too long). Cool completely before slicing.

Caramelized onion portobello mushroom caps

 

5 portobello mushrooms, residual stem removed
1 large red onion, sliced thinly but long in length
1-2 T olive oil
1-2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 T brown sugar
shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place washed and well-dried mushroom caps bottom side up on pan. Bake for 15 mins, blotting with a towel as needed. Meanwhile caramelized the onion in the oil, adding the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste once softened.

Fill baked mushrooms with onions. Top with cheese and broil for 2 mins, watching very closely to prevent burning.

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

1 cup white whole wheat flour (120g)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar (48g)
1/2 cup light-brown sugar, packed (105g)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (135g)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (112g)


In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
Mix the butter with both sugars and stir until throughly combined.
Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs and beat until well mixed
Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined.
Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Chill dough in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Use a small ice cream scooper (two tablespoons) to drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Meat lasagna

no-boil lasagna noodles (need a little more than 1 box)
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) containers ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef
2 (24 ounce) jars pasta sauce


1. Brown beef in a skillet.  Preheat oven to 375.

2. In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese and TWO cups of the mozzarella cheese and the parmesan.  Set aside.

3. In a 13X9X3 pan, spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of pan.

4. Layer in the order: 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (they will overlap), then 1/3 part of the ricotta cheese mixture, half the browned meat, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1.5 cups pasta sauce.

5. Next layer 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, and 1.5 cups sauce.

6. Next layer 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and remaining meat, and 1.5 cups of sauce.

7. For top layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining sauce, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella.

8. Bake covered with foil for 50-60 minutes.

9. Uncover and continue cooking until all the cheese is melted on the top (about 5 minutes).

Tangy Green Bean Salad

recipe inspired by: Sweet Potato Soul by Jenne Claiborne

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T nutritional yeast
2 T olive oil
2 T minced shallot or onion
1 T mustard (yellow, stone-ground, or Dijon)
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
extra salt and pepper to taste before serving (I like lots!)


1) Boil 1-2 inches of water, add steamer basket and green beans and cover. Steam for 5 minutes (until bright green yet tender). Let beans partially cool.

2) In a large tupperware, whisk together the remaining ingredients.  Add green beans and shake container to mix.

Banana, carrot, and coconut muffins

 photo credit: https://aubreyskitchen.com/banana-carrot-muffins

2 cups oatmeal
1 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

4 large eggs
4 ripe bananas, pureed
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup milk

2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup coconut flakes


Line muffin tins with paper liners (this recipe makes about 24 muffins with a bit of extra batter). Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Combine and add the carrots and coconut. Bake for 25-30 mins.

Braised kale

 photo credit: https://www.essentialomnivore.com/braised-kale-with-lemon-and-anchovies/

olive or avocado oil
bunch of lacinato kale, roughly chopped
salt, pepper to taste
1-2 garlic cloves


Heat olive oil in pan, add kale and braise until wilted, add salt, pepper, and garlic cloves.