Kale & Red Lentil Soup

If you've been following my blog, you already know that I am a huge fan of kale, and guess what comes with fall? That's right. Kale does. Ye!!
Since nothing compares to a hot bowl of soup during the cold days of fall, and since the Living Tree -my local organic produce supplier - hi Teresa! :0) - received some beautiful fresh kale, I had, had, absolutely had, to make a soup and eat it outside, with the sun shining on my face, all cuddled up under a blanket, sitting on my porch watching the birds and the squirrels getting ready for the cold weather.

2-3 tbsp of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup of red lentil
1 quart of beef stock (or vegetable stock)
1 bay leave
6-8 baby potatoes, cubed 1/2"-inch
4-5 tomatoes (from can - preferably San Marzano), chopped
1 bunch of kale
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Celtic salt and pepper

Heat olive oil on medium heat. Sautee onion until transparent, 3-4 minutes. Add lentils, beef stock (or vegetable stock) and bay leave. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add potatoes and tomatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add kale and cook no more than 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper.

Belgium Endive, Radishes and Baby Bella Salad

I know, I know, it's been like... for ever and ever, since I last posted a recipe. Not because I didn't want to. It's just how life goes sometimes, little set back that's all. But let me just say that it feels sooo good to be here, in my kitchen, creating a new recipe, taking my pictures and sharing it with you my favorite Mouth Teaser readers.

With this recipe, I feel like, deep down, I'm sadly holding on to the last summer days. The sweetness of the dressing makes the radishes a lot milder and sweeter than what you might think. Great salad with fish, chicken, pork, scrambled tofu or seared tempeh.

Salad

2 Belgium endives, chop crosswise

6-8 Baby Bellas, sliced

6-8 Radishes, sliced

6-8 Cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or other seeds or nuts of your choice (almonds would also work quite well)

1 Handful of mix fresh herbs of your choice, I used a mix of fresh parsley, thyme and oregano (careful with the oregano or it will take over)

Celtic Salt

Dressing

2 tblsp fresh lime juice
1 small jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 ½ tsp honey or agave syrup
¼ tsp cumin
¼ cup canola oil
Celtic salt (or sea salt) and freshly ground pepper

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss dressing in salad just before serving.

Asian Salad

I have been wanting to post a recipe for the last two weeks but I just didn't have the time. Today I had a day off. Although I was suppose to work on my final assignment (I"m finishing a web design certificate), I decided to give priority to my blog and post a well overdue recipe for you my favorite Mouth Teaser readers, before you start to think that I forgot all about you or that I don't love you anymore :0)

I ate this salad just like this, by itself, nothing else. It was a nice light lunch. It would also be great with grilled chicken or pork for a more substantial meal.

Ingredients

Serves 2

Mix greens or frisee lettuce

1 carrot - julienned

1/2 cucumber - julienned

1 1/2 cup Bean Sprout

Green beans - Approximately 20 - blanched in salted water for 4 minutes and transfered to ice bath to stop cooking.

2 small red baby potatoes - cooked, cooled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Place mix greens on plates. Mix carrots, cucumbers and bean sprouts and drizzle a bit of the dressing over them, mix to coat. Place over greens. Arrange green beans and baby potatoes on each side of the plates. Sprinkle each salad with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Dressing

Fresh Cilantro

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/4 tsp red crushed chile pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Lemon and fresh Fennel Salsa

This is a great salsa that works very well with any kind of white fish. It's crispy, sweet, sour, cool, fresh and summery! I dusted some grouper fillets with a mixture of Quinoa flour, lemon zest, freshly grated Pecorino-Romano, salt and pepper and sauteed them in a bit of olive oil until nice and brown. Fish, salsa and a crispy green salad with fresh herbs and a light lemon dressing turned out to be a very simple, yet elegant and satisfying dinner.

Ingredients

• 1/2 small fennel bulb (reserve some of the leaves), cut in half lengthwise, cored and cut in thin slices crosswise
• 2 small lemons, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and cut again lengthwise to have thin half moons
• 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded (I like to use a spoon to scrape the seeds) and cut thinly crosswise
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped (with or without seeds)
• 10 big green olives, cut in half lengthwise, than cut thinly lengthwise
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp of the reserved fennel leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Combine everything in a mixing bowl and marinate for approximately 20 minutes before serving. Oranges would be a nice addition to this salsa, it was actually my original idea but I was out of oranges.

Let me know how you like it!

Addendum for the No Bake Blueberry Pie

Please add 1/2 cup of fresh Blueberries to the list of "Filling ingredients" to blend. You still need the 2 pints of fresh blueberries for the topping. See corrected recipe below.

Since the corrected recipe is not being emailed I thought I would create a new post (this one) to let you know. Voila!

Also see the Note on Coconut Oil (at the end of the original-revised recipe ;0))

Sorry about that people!

Mimi

No Bake Blueberry Pie

Here's why you should try this recipe:

• It's delicious
• It's fast and easy to put together
• It's a no bake recipe. Who needs an oven when it's so hot outside!
• It's all raw, so you have all the vitamins and nutrients
• It's gluten and lactose free
• It's packed with only super healthy ingredients
• It's a 100% guilt free dessert
• Because of the blueberries: In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.

Crust

1 3/4 cups of almonds

2 tbsp of lemon zest

2 cups of pitted dates

Place almonds and lemon zest in food processor until mixture resemble tiny little peas (you want some crunch). Remove almonds and set aside. Add dates to food processor and pulse until you get a paste like texture. Add almonds mixture to dates and process until well combined. Dust pie dish with flour to prevent dough from sticking (you can also line your pie dish with some plastic wrap if your intention is to serve it on a pretty platter). Press dough in the bottom of your pie dish. I like to use a glass or a cup and use it to press all over the bottom and sides of my dough. The result is a tighter and more even crust. Set dough aside until filling is ready.

Filling

3 cups of Cashews, soaked for 2 hours

1/2 cup of fresh blueberries

1/2 cup of amber agave syrup (maple syrup would also work)

Juice of 3 limes (approximately 1/2 cup - taste and adjust quantity of lime juice to your liking)

3/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted (coconut is a very healthy fat, for more info please read: http://www.coconut-connections.com/res2.htm)

1/4 cup of water (add a little more if your filling is too thick - your filling should be like a thick smoothie)

2 tsp of vanilla extract

2 pints of fresh blueberries for topping, washed

Place everything (except the blueberries for topping) in your food processor (or blender) and mix until very smooth. Place filling in your prepared dough and refrigerate until set (about 3-4 hours but preferably overnight). Top with fresh blueberries just before serving or as soon as filling is set.

You would never think it's an all raw, no cook Blueberry pie. Actually, the people I served it to, thought it was a cheese cake.

Try it, you'll like it!

Note: Do not substitute the coconut oil for another oil. The coconut oil becomes solid when cold (just like butter or shortening) giving the pie it's nice, rich texture.

Shrimp Toast with Poached egg and Spinach

I was visiting the Gourmet website the other day and came across a shrimp toast recipe. I created my own version of it and James and I ate it for a late breakfast/early lunch (well, I guess I could have wrote a Brunch duh!!). I can think of a few people who love this kind of Brunch food so, here it is...

I overcooked my eggs a little, I usually like them a bit runny but it was still delicious!

Serves 4

For the Shrimps

1 pound of deveined, shelved shrimps and roughly chopped

2 scallions, chopped roughly

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tbsp of lemon juice

1 bunch of fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped roughly

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F

Place everything in food processor until pureed. Lightly toast 4 slices of whole wheat bread. Divide shrimp mixture in 4 and spread over toast (it will be thick, like 1 inch or so). Place on baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until shrimps are cooked.

Garnish

1 package of spinach, sauteed in a bit of olive oil in a medium size skillet until just wilted. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over them (the lemony taste goes great with the shrimps), add a bit of salt.

4 poached eggs (or fried eggs if you prefer). Poach eggs in simmering water ( to which you added 2 tbsp of vinegar) for 4 minutes, remove with slotted spoon and transfer to plate.

Hot sauce of your choice

Dash of smoked paprika

To plate

Divide spinach in 4 equal portion and spread over the shrimp toasts. Top with poached (or fried) eggs, a bit of your favorite hot sauce and a dash or two of smoked paprika.

A few slices of avocados would be a nice addition.

Bon appetit!

Green Beans and Cucumber Salad

I love cucumbers in summer time, not only they are fresh and cooling but they are 95% water which makes them very light and low in calories.

Here is a simple salad perfect for a picnic on the beach.

Serves 4 (as a side dish)

For the Salad:
1 pound of green beans, blanched in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then immediately transferred to an ice bath for cooling and to stop cooking (so you don't want to loose all the nutrients).
1/2 English cucumber, sliced paper thin with your mandolin

Place cooled green beans and cucumber in a large mixing bowl.

For the dressing:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 lemon or to taste
1 hand full of fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp of red crushed pepper
Celtic salt or any other sea salt

Mix all ingredients, adjust seasoning. Add to mixing bowl with green beans and cucumber. This salad is great with grilled chicken kebabs.

Quiche with asparagus, zucchinis and sundried tomatoes

Yes, you will have to make a pate brise (flaky dough) from scratch for this recipe (all by yourself)...but don't worry, it's really not as complicated as you think. Actually, if you have a food processor it will be done in less than 5 minutes. Promise. If you don't have a food processor, get in your car, drive to the closest store and buy one. Trust me, it's not an expense, it's an investment, it will save you loads of time and make your life so much easier. If your husband complains, tell him it's Mimi's fault ;0)

The trick to have a flaky dough is to have all your ingredients ice cold and not to process the dough too much after you added the water. Measure your flour and stick it in your freezer for 30 minutes prior to making your dough. Cut the butter and drop it in a bowl half way full of water and tons of ice cubes. You want to butter to break in hundreds of tiny pieces when incorporated in the flour, that is how you achieve a flaky dough. If your butter is not cold enough, it will melt and not break. The ice cold water will keep your butter super hard.

Crust

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cube

In food processor, pulse the flour with the salt. Add diced butter and pulse 3-4 times until you get a sandy/crumbly type mixture. Sprinkle ice cold water (approximately 2-3 tbsp) and pulse until dough comes together (the dough will gather together on one side of the food processor, that's your cue). Do not over process or the dough will be hard. Transfer dough to plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour (if you don't have time, it's o.k. to roll it out right away). On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12 inch round. Transfer to 9-inch pie dish (previously buttered and dusted with flour to prevent the dough from sticking). Press into the pan and trim off any excess. Use scraps to patch any cracks. Prick holes all over bottom with a fork.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust until golden about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Reduce oven

temperature to 375°F.

Filling

1 cup 1/2 & 1/2

5 eggs, whisked

1 tsp of fresh nutmeg, grated

Celtic salt and Cayenne pepper

1 shallot (small french onion), chopped

1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4" slices

7-8 asparagus, cut into 2" pieces

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup Alta Dena goat cheese, grated (or other cheese of your preference)

Salt and pepper for seasoning

In medium size bowl, combine 1/2 and 1/2, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Set aside. Add 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute shallot over medium heat until transparent. Add zucchinis and asparagus, cook for 3 minutes (I like all my veggies crunchy). Add sundried tomatoes, fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cool 5 minutes. Pour cooled vegetables into your prepared crust. Add 1/2 & 1/2 and egg mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Transfer to pre-heated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. Serve with a crispy green salad!

Spaghetti a la Vongole

This is one of my very favorite pasta recipe. I learned it from a wonderful woman who is partly Italian. We used to get together all the time and she was always cooking some fabulous meals, I used to be amazed at how easy cooking was for her. Her dishes all came together in no time and always looking picture perfect and tasting out of this world. She was (and still is - although I don't see her much anymore since we live in different countries) a great source of inspiration to me.

Serves 2

Ingredients
Olive oil - enough to cover the bottom of your skillet plus 2-3 tbsp
4-5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp chile pepper
1-10 oz baby clams
1-14.5oz tomatoes
Fresh parsley
8 oz spinach spaghettis, cooked to directions

Directions
Heat olive oil on medium heat. When oil is hot but not burning (olive oil is sensitive to heat and will become saturated if over heated) add garlic, reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 10 minutes (this will infuse the olive oil with the garlic taste and also it will caramelized the garlic). Remove garlic from oil (keep garlic infused oil in skillet you will need it in a minute) and smash it with the side of the blade of your knife on your chopping board to create a paste, set aside. Strain clams directly over the skillet, set clams aside. Reduce clam broth by 1/2 by simmering for approximately 5 minutes. Puree tomatoes in food processor and add to clam broth. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid a bit. Add clams, simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Add garlic paste, fresh parsley and a bit of salt.

Serve over your spinach pastas and enjoy!

Chile Sin (without) Carne

If you love Chilis but would rather skip the meat, you have to try this...And all of you who are telling me you don't have time to cook or that eating healthy is too expensive, well I have an excellent news for you, you won't have to worry your pretty little head about "time" or "cost" with this dish. How much is a can of bean? Even organic it's cheap, so no more excuses...I said no excuse.....talk to the hand!!

Ingredients
2 medium size tomatoes
1/2 large portabella cap
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 small jalapeno
2 cloves of garlic
1- 15 oz can black beans
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 tsp cumin powder (to taste)
Celtic salt

Directions
Place tomatoes in your food processor and pulse 2-3 times, until the tomatoes are chopped in small pieces but not pureed, chunks are good! Transfer to large mixing bowl. Pulse portabella cap in food processor 2-3 times until it resemble a minced meat type texture (that is your ground meat). Transfer portabella to mixing bowl with tomatoes. Place jalapeno, cilantro, garlic and olive oil in food processor until minced (not pureed - a bit smaller than chopped). Transfer to mixing bowl with other ingredients. Place 1/4 of the black beans into food processor and this time, do puree it (this will give a nice thick consistency to your chili). Add black bean puree to mixing bowl with the remaining of the whole black beans. Season with cumin and salt. Mix well and serve with corn chips!

Raw Corn Chowder

With summer around the corner, this corn chowder is absolutely perfecttly fresh, crispy and light not to mention extremely quick to put together and of course super delicious! Just what we need right?

Corn Chowder
Serves 4

Chowder
3 cups fresh corn kernels (I figured that 1 corn is almost the equivalent of 1 cup of kernels)
1/2 - ¾ cup walnuts or cachew (not salted)
3/4 extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp celtic salt
2 1/2 cups almond/rice milk or water

Chowder Toppings
1 cup corn kernels, reserved from above
1 avocado, chopped in 1/2 inch cubes
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
Dash cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper or paprika

From the 3 cups of kernels, reserve 1 cup for dressing the chowder. Put all remaining ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer chowder to bowls and dress with the reserved corn kernels, the avocado cubes, the fresh cilantro and sprinkle with a dash of cayenne peper.

Kale a health superstar!

I love kale and I try to eat it as much as I possibly can.

I was telling a friend of mine the other day that when I'm not cooking it, I simply break a piece and drop it in my smoothie. Guess what she said??? Probably the same thing you are thinking right now.....which is: YOU'RE A FREAK!!

Of course I busted out laughing. I know it sounds totally strange but you know what? Mixed with bananas, strawberries, almond milk and agave syrup you totally don't taste it but you get the benefits...so my dear girlfriend...I am a freak but a healthy one.

Here's what I found on www.whfoods.com on Kale. Read it and you will understand why I include it in my smoothies and who knows, you might even want to give it a try :0)

Sulforaphane, which is formed when cruciferous vegetables such as kale are chopped or chewed, triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals.

Crucifers' well known cancer-fighting properties are thought to result from their high levels of active phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which our bodies metabolize into powerful anti-carcinogens.

Kale is also rich in flavonoid. Researches proved that women with a diet rich in flavonoid had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer.

Kale is also a very good source of calcium. 1 cup of kale supplies 93.6 mg of calcium for only 36.4 calories. In contrast, a cup of 2% cow's milk provides 296.7 mg of calcium, but the cost is high: 121.2 calories.

Kale also emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of traditional nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, calcium, copper, vitamin B6, and potassium. This combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients makes kale a health superstar!

Sauteed Tofu with Rice Noodles, Portabellos and Kale

For the Tofu: Cut tofu into 1" cubes and saute, on low heat, in olive oil with 2-3 minced garlic cloves for approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cooking garlic on low heat will flavor the oil and give a very good taste to the tofu.

For the Portabellos: Slice thinly, saute in olive oil on low heat for approximately 10 mins, sprinkle with a dash of Celtic salt.

For Rice Noodles: Cook according to package's directions. Rinse over cold running water and drizzle with a bit of sesame oil (so they don't stick). When ready to serve, heat up in a skillet with a bit of coconut oil and sprinkle with some black or brown sesame seeds.

For the Kale: Chop kale into small bites. Cut 1 medium size tomato into 1" cubes. Mix kale and tomatoes. Dress with sesame oil (3 portions of oil for one portion of lime juice), tamari (or Nana Shoyu - 1-2 tbsp - start with one and add slowly), 1 minced garlic clove, fresh ginger (2 tbsp), lime juice and a hand full of cilantro. Marinate 10-15 minutes.

Plating: Place kale salad on bottom of big bowl. Arrange tofu, mushrooms and rice noodles over the kale but not hiding it completely so you see all the nice colors.

Oat Groats with Apples, Pecan nuts and Coconut Oil

Oats the ‘cleansing grain.’ They clean your intestinal tract and your blood as well. Oats contain an fabulous balance of amino acids. It’s proteins are almost in perfect proportion to the body’s needs. High in lysine which is often low in other cereal grains, oats bring a real balance to your protein needs. Oats contain high levels of complex carbohydrates which have been linked to reducing the risk of cancer and the better control of diabetes.

Of course the more processed the oat is the less properties you will have from it. So I say: Go for the "real McCoy", the Oat Groats. I much prefer the texture of the Oat Groats, it's not mushy like the Quick or Old Fasion, it's firm and there is a small crunch under your teeth. I love it.

Rinse oat 2-3 times under fresh running water. Simmer Oat until tender (approximately 40-45 minutes - water/oat proportion is 1 to 1). When cooked, remove from pot (drain extra water if necessary), transfer to bowl. While still hot, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, chopped apples (or other fruit), chopped pecan (or other), 2 tbsp of agave syrup or non pasteurized honey and sprinkle with Chia Seeds.

This breakfast will keep you going all the way to lunch without feeling the urge to snack.

For my Frenchies: Le "Oat Groat" c'est la graine d'avoine et non le flocon.

Here is what a Kohlrabi looks like

Also in my box of veggies from the CSA was a Kohlrabi bulb. Kohlrabi, which belongs to the cabbage family, is an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium. It is also high in fiber and helps to stabilize blood sugar. It can also be effective against edema, candida and viral conditions.

Kohlrabi and Goat Cheese Omelet

I had no idea how this dish was going to turn out until the very end, until I had my first bite actually. I was pleasantly surprise I must say. The Kohlrabi was crunchy and sweet. I was afraid the goat cheese would be over powering but it wasn't at all. I served it with an organic sour cream that I dressed with some roasted Serrano peppers and lime juice. It was quite satisfying. I will make it again.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of Kohlrabi, julienned with your mandolin

1/2 red onion, cut in half and sliced thinly

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 slices of Alta Dena Raw Goat Cheese (For the ones who live in Enterprise: you can find it at the Living Tree, for the others: if you can't find it, you can use any other goat cheese, just crumble it instead of slicing it)

5 eggs, slightly beaten and seasoned with Celtic salt and a bit of Cayenne pepper

1/2 cup of flat leave parsley, chopped

1 tbsp of quinoa flour

1 avocado, sliced

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Lime slices and Cilantro leave for decoration

Directions

Turn your oven on and set to Broil.

In a medium size non-stick/oven proof skillet, over medium heat, saute the Kohlrabi in olive or coconut oil, stirring occasionally until it's nice and crispy (it will take a little while, like 10 minutes or so). I tried to get it like a hash brown texture. Actually, you could very well substitute the Kohlrabi with Potatoes if you wanted to. When the Kohlrabi is cooked add the slices of goat cheese. Mix the quinoa flour with the eggs, whip to have an even mixture and pour over the Kohlrabi and Goat Cheese. Continue to cook on the stove for 2 more minutes. Transfer to oven, on the top grill and broil for 1 minute or until puffy and brown. Remove from oven. Let cool for a minute. Place a large plate over the skillet and turn it over the plate so the Kohlrabi is facing up. Garnish with the avocado, lime slices and a few dollop of organic sour cream. Drizzle with a bit of first/cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and a few leaves of cilantro and serve.

In the news

Poached Egg with Swiss Chard, and Sauteed Baby Turnips

I got these beautiful baby turnips in my box of veggies from my local CSA this week and they are just delicious. Here is what I did with them this morning.

First I cut them paper thin with my mandolin, then, I slowly sauteed them in 1 full tbsp of coconut oil and sprinkled them with oregano and a bit of celtic salt. The coconut oil gave them a very nice sweet taste and a crunchy bite which was a nice contrast with the greens and the egg.

I sauteed the swiss chard in olive oil on medium heat and I simply added a bit of apple cider vinegar (like 1 tsp, which evaporates as it cooks leaving a sweet slightly tart taste), I added some freshly ground nutmeg, gave it a dash of cayenne pepper and seasoned it with celtic salt.

I then poached the egg in simmering water (you should have enough water in your pot to cover the egg), to which I added 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (so the egg would keep it's shape together and not spread in the water) for 3 minutes (I like my egg runny).

To assemble it all. I placed one cup (approximately) of greens in the middle of a plate, put the egg on top, the turnips on one side, sprinkled some first/cold pressed olive oil over the egg and a bit around the plate and sprinkled it all with a bit of paprika for the color.

Kasha with Portabello and Asparagus

This was my express lunch today. I had some Kasha left over from the night before. So all I did really is saute some onions, garlic and portabello mushrooms in 2 tbsp of coconut oil and at the end I added the asparagus, which I sauteed for no more then 30 seconds, then I added my Kasha and a bit of Tamari. It was fast and truly delectable.

Zucchini, Banana and Nutmeg Muffins

Let the muffins roll!!

These were actually more moist and crumblier then the carrot muffins (See recipe previous post). James prefers this recipe, probably because it has more of a cake then a bread texture. Personally, I liked both.

It's basically the same recipe as the carrot muffin. Except for the following modifications:

• Replace coconut oil with 1/2 cup or 1 stick of organic butter
• Replace honey with 1 cup organic sugar cane
• Replace carrot with 1 small grated zucchini (thin 6-7 inches long) and 1 ripe mash banana
• Reduce flour quantity to 1 cup instead of two
• Add 1 tbsp of nutmeg

If you prefer a cake to muffins just bake this recipe in a loaf pan instead of muffin pan and bake it for approximately 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.