MAIN DISH

Evera’s Veggie Stew

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 C dry beans mix (I use Trader Joe’s 17 Bean and Barley)

1 lb TJ organic carrots, sliced thin                                    

½-whole of a 1lb bag TJ's loose leaf, frozen organic spinach                                                 

1 T butter plus 2 t EVOO                                            

1 ½ cup frozen sweet corn, TJ's

1 T garlic, minced or crushed                                       

1 ½ cup frozen peas, organic TJ's

1 C good Sherry
Salt and pepper                                              

32 oz. Veggie stock                                                      

1 (28oz) can good plum tomatoes with basil, hand crushed                               

1 bay leaf                                              

~Add 2 cups of dry bean mix with 4 cups of water, cover, and soak in fridge overnight.

~Rinse beans in colander.

~Sauté onions and carrots in butter and olive oil until onions are translucent.

~lower heat and add garlic. Continue to sauté for 2-5 minutes until garlic is aromatic.

~Deglaze with Sherry.

~Add together on stove or in Crockpot: sautéed carrots/onions, veggie stock, plum tomato puree, bay leaf, bean mix, barley, frozen loose leaf spinach, corn, peas and fresh tomatoes.

~Bring up to a boil, then reduce to very low heat, and cook with lid on for at least 4 hours. 

~Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed. OR CROCKPOT COOK

~Season with salt and pepper to taste.

~Top each bowl with shredded Gruyere and serve with crusty white bread, or BEST…Swiss bread with poppy seeds!!!!!!

Sweet Spinach Brown Rice Pasta

1 sweet onion, diced

1 package of organic mushrooms, diced

1-2 T minced garlic

1 t dried basil

1 t dried oregano

1/2 of a Bag of Trader Joe's frozen, loose leaf, chopped organic spinach

3 fresh diced tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed)

1 big can plum tomatoes with basil, puree in blender

1 T organic brown sugar

1/2 of a Bag Trader Joe Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta, cooked for 10 minutes

1 C Trader Joe 4% low-fat Cottage Cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

~Add onions, mushrooms and garlic to 1 T EVOO and 1 T butter

~Add diced mushrooms and herbs.  Saute until veggies are soft.

~Add frozen spinach and cook through

~Cook brown rice pasta for ten minutes and let sit.

~Puree plum tomatoes in the blender and add in brown sugar.  Let sit.

~Add in tomatoes, pasta, puree to sauteed veggies.

~Stir in cottage cheese.

~Salt to taste.

~May add: 1 lb Publix Greenwise Mild Italian Organic Chicken Sausage (cook in oven on 350 for 45 minutes to an hour, then dice up and add to pasta).

Red Chakra Meal

Bourbon Salmon, Beets and Sweet Potatoes

Bourbon Salmon

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C bourbon (I use Jim Beam)

2 t soy sauce or some salt

A bit of ginger

Some green onions, optional

~Mix ingredients and marinate Salmon for 3-24  hours

~Bake at 375 for  minutes

Beets

~Clean beats, cut off greens and wrap, individually, in aluminum foil.

~Cook at 400 for an hour.

~Unwrap and cool.

~Rinse under cold water while using hands to rub the peal away.

~Dice up, sprinkle with REAL salt and ENJOY.

Beet Salad

Balsamic Beet Salad

            Crushed walnuts

            ½ container of Gorgonzola

            Dash of sugar

            Balsamic vinegar, just enough to coat the beets

            Salt

            Pepper        

Beet salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Whisk together:

1 T fresh lemon juice

2 T fresh orange juice

1 T sherry vinegar

½ t salt

¼ C olive oil

SWEET POTATOES

~Wash sweet potatoes, poke with a fork and lay on foil or a pan.

~Bake at 400 for an 1-1.5 hours until soft (depending on how large they are).

~Open and sprinkle with REAL salt.

Spinach Salad

~Chop a TON of raw organic spinach (I use Pampered Chef Chop Scissors to chop fine).

~Stir in dressing (the dressing will turn a beautiful color sea green).

DRESSING, Whisk:

1/2 C Mayo

1 t garlic powder or fresh garlic clove

1 t REAL salt

1 t mustard, yellow or dijon

1 t Worcestershire sauce

2 T vinegar (red wine or champaign)

2 T water

Swiss Chicken

From the kitchen of: Evera

4-6 organic chicken breasts                             
6 large slices of Swiss cheese

1 box stuffing                                                    *Cream of mushroom

Salt and pepper                                                  
1/2 C - 1 C of drinking sherry, Trader Joe's

~Preheat oven to 350.

~Lay 4-6 uncooked chicken breasts in pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

~Lay a big slice of Swiss cheese on each piece of chicken, spread soup over top of cheese.

~Mix croutons with enough sherry to make croutons moist, and then layer on top of cheese.

~Bake at 350 for one hour.

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

2 Boxes Uncle Bens wild rice, cooked                      

1-2 pounds organic chicken, cooked and diced         

2 cans of green beans, drained and rinsed                                                     

1 (4 oz) jar pimentos, drained and rinsed

½ C of mayo, extra if needed

*Cream of mushroom, not from a can

1 t sherry

Easy cook chicken: Season chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat pan with EVOO.  Add 1 C veggie broth, plus 1 T Sherry, to pan and cook until done.

Veggie style: Add bag of steamed broccoli instead of chicken.

~Combine all ingredients and serve hot.

~Top with 1 cup of triple cheddar or Swiss.

~If made ahead of time and cold, bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes to heat through(or heat stove top).

~Serve with biscuits. YUMM!!!

Cream of…

Homemade cream of mushroom/chicken/celery for casseroles

2 T unsalted or herbed butter

5 mushrooms, minced tiny (or chicken, celery, onion for other “cream of…’s”)

¼ C flour

2 C milk, room temp, let sit on the counter until ready to use.

1 t rosemary

1 t basil

½ t onion powder

½ t garlic powder

½ t parsley

½ t thyme

½ t sea salt

½ t pepper

~Melt butter; add diced mushrooms and sauté until very soft. Stir in herbs. Add flour, mush up and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up with whisk until golden brown. Make sure to cook flour well. Turn heat to low, and make sure pan is cool enough to touch, so milk doesn’t boil when it hits the pan. Before adding milk, add a splash of red wine or sherry to cool pan.  Then, slowly whisk in milk, a small amount at a time, making sure to blend well. Continue stirring.  Cook, about 10 minutes, until thick.

~Use chicken, celery, onion instead of mushrooms to make other “cream of…’s”.

~Makes 1 ½ - 2 C = 1 can. It doubles just fine if you need two cans worth.

Chicken and Dumplings

~Clean 3-4 lb chicken and put in a big pot of water with celery, onions, salt and pepper.

~Bring to a boil and simmer about 45 min to an hour, till meat is falling off the bone.

~Remove chicken to a platter and cool.  Debone.  Set aside.

~Strain broth, return to pot. Simmer.  Throw in carrots and black pepper.

~Cut up chicken and set aside.

Make Dumplings:

            2 C flour

Cut in:

            3 T Crisco

            ½ t baking soda

            ½ t salt

Add:

            ¾ C buttermilk, stir until moist. (3/4 C cow milk plus 1 T apple cider vinegar makes buttermilk)

Kneed 4 or 5 times, pat into 1 inch thickness

~Bring broth to a boil.

~Pinch off 1 inch pieces of dough and drop in boiling broth.

~Cook 8-10 min.

~Stir in meat.

Evera’s Chicken Pot Pie

Sauté, in ½ C butter:

1 onion

1-2 t minced garlic

1 C chopped celery or 1t celery seeds/salt

1 lb carrots, chopped

Add:

1-2 C frozen peas and cook

Stir in:

½ C flour and cook for 2 min.

Mix together and gradually stir into veggie mixture:

2 C broth

1 C ½ and ½

Add:

4 C diced chicken or (sautéed mushrooms for veggie pie)

Salt

Pepper

~Cook until thick and bubbly.

~Pour into pie shell and top with 2nd pie shell.

~Cut slits into top pie shell.

~Bake at 400 for 40-50 min until pie top is golden brown.

Honey Butter Chicken

From the kitchen of: Evera

Flour Mixture:                            Honey butter sauce:

1 C flour                                 ¼ C butter

2 t salt                                  ¼ C honey

2 t cayenne                               ¼ C fresh lemon juice

½ t pepper

Split chicken breasts

½ C butter

~Heat oven to 400.

~Dredge split chicken breasts in flour mixture.

~Melt ½ C butter and pour in 9X13 baking dish.  Turn once to coat in butter.

~Bake for 30 minutes (make sauce while baking).

~Turn chicken over and pour sauce over top.

~Bake for an additional 30 min.

Chicken Picata

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ C all-purpose flour

1 egg

½ T water

3/4 C seasoned dry bread crumbs

Good olive oil

3 T unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

½ C dry white wine

Sliced lemon, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

~Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

~Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

~Mix the flour, ½ t salt, and ¼ t of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and ½ t of milk together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and finally the bread crumb mixture.

~Heat 1 T of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce:

Wipe out the sauté pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 T of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, ½ t salt, and ¼ t. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the remaining 2 T of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon fresh parsley.

Evera’s Pumpkin Chili

~MY FAVORITE CHILI~

1 sweet onion, diced

1 lb carrots, sliced thin

1-2 T EVOO

1-2 T butter

1 T garlic, minced or crushed

1 T chili powder

1 t smoked paprika

¼ t smoked paprika, hot or red pepper

1 t sage, dried

1 t cumin

½ t pumpkin pie spice

½ of a Hoegaarden, Stella winter beer or TJ's pumpkin beer

1 (15 oz) can of organic diced tomatoes, in juice, stirred with 1 t sugar

1-2 C dried beans**, covered with water and soaked overnight OR…

            1 can organic pinto beans, drained and rinsed

            1 can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed

            1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can TJ's Organic Pumpkin

1 t REAL salt

Prep:

~Open tomatoes and stir in 1 t organic sugar, set aside.

~Drain and rinse beans in colander.

Cook:

~Sautee onion, carrots and garlic in EVOO and butter until onions are very soft and caramelized.

~Stir in spices and cook until aromatic.

~Stir in ½ of a Hoegaarden (or other beer).

~Stir in beans, tomatoes (with juice), pumpkin** and REAL salt.

~**If using dried/soaked beans- add some veggie broth or water (enough to cover beans) and cook at least 2 hours and add pumpkin the last half hour.

~If using canned beans- add all canned items at the same time and cook a half hour or so.

~Top with a bit of sour cream and cheese. Serve with French bread.

CHEDDAR, APPLE AND THYME BAGUETTE..

Recipe by: Jane at Trader Joe's

Quick, easy and delicious! Sydney made our dinner in picture below...

Fresh baguette, sourdough or french sliced open faced

Organic Gala apples

Smoked turkey slices, Trader Joe's

6 slices sharp cheddar cheese, Trader Joe's

Fresh thyme

~Layer ingredients and bake at 400 until cheese is melted.

BROCCOLI QUINOA

1 cup quinoa, Trader Joe's

1 fresh lemon

Bit of basil, dried or fresh

2-3 cups raw broccoli florets OR spinach

1 T minced garlic

1/3 C sliced almonds

1/3 cup Mozzarella, parmesan or Italian cheese

2 big pinches of sea salt

2 T extra virgin olive oil

½ C of ½ and ½ OR milk, more for thinning to consistency of a milk shake

Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, sliced avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese- love me some goat cheese!

~RINSE 1 cup of quinoa, in a wired mesh colander, under cold water. Use cheese cloth, over a regular colander, if you don’t have a wired mesh colander.

~Add rinsed quinoa to: 2 cups of water, juice from ½ a fresh lemon, some basil and ½ t sea salt.

~Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.*

~While quinoa is cooking: barely cook the broccoli by pouring a cup of water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a couple minutes, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

~To make the pesto, puree together: barely cooked broccoli (OR RAW SPINACH for spinach quinoa), garlic, juice from the other ½ of the lemon, almonds, Italian cheese, salt, EVOO and milk in a food processor.

~Mix pesto with cooked quinoa.

~Turn out onto a serving platter and top with: almonds, a drizzle of the Chile oil, some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.

*Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite.

**To make the red chile oil: You'll need ½ C extra-virgin olive oil and 1 ½ t crushed red pepper flakes. If you can, make the chile oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to saute some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator. Bring to room temp again before using.

Quinoa

The queen of whole grains, when it comes to protein content, is quinoa. Some call it a super-grain; technically it's a pseudo-grain.  Quinoa is actually a seed, has the benefit of being gluten-free, too.  Quinoa contains a bitter coating that helps it to avoid being eaten by birds, so rinse your quinoa well before you cook it.  (Cooking only takes 12-15 minutes in hot water.)  Unlike many sources of vegetarian protein, quinoa contains all of the essential amino acids, making it a "complete protein". Just one cup of cooked quinoa contains 18 grams of protein, as well as nine grams of fiber.