Maple Glazed Salmon

Are you looking for quick dinner ideas?  This healthy dish can be made in 20 minutes!  Wild caught salmon is loaded with healthy fats, exactly the opposite is true for farm raised salmon.  Be careful, read packages closely and get to know your butcher.

1 1/4 pound wild salmon, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoons brown mustard
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cove garlic, minced
1 dash gluten-free soy sauce
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.  Place salmon on a parchment paper lined pan.  Season with salt and pepper; roast for 10min.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, maple syrup, garlic and soy sauce.  After the 10 minutes of cooking, brush salmon with the mixture and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through.  Serves 4.


For an excellent side dish, try this Herbed Quinoa recipe.

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Herbed Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a super grain.  This tiny, gluten-free grain is high in fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamin E.  It is a complete protein whose content is equal to milk!  Try this side dish with Maple Glazed Salmon for an easy dinner that is done in 20 minutes!

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh minced curly parsley or 2 teaspoons dry parsley
1 tablespoon fresh minced dill or 1 teaspoon dry dill
pepper

In a medium saucepan, saute onions and celery in butter until soft.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add quinoa to boiling water and stir.  Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 12 minutes.  Remove from heat and add herbs.  Cover and allow quinoa to sit, covered, for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork before serving.  Serves 4. 

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Skillet Golumpki

It seems like every part of Europe has their version of a cabbage roll, our polish family members call them Golumpki.  The traditional version is delicious, but also time consuming.  Here is a simplified version that can be made in a skillet in under 45 minutes.  Peppers and carrots are not normally found in Golumpki, I just saw an opportunity to sneak in some extra veggies.

You may also notice that there isn't a picture of the finished product.  There is a good reason for that.  The pictures just didn't do it justice!  Seriously.  It is delicious.  Try it.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onions
1 small green pepper
1 medium carrot
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
6 cups of coarsely chopped cabbage
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar or raw sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

In a large skillet, brown hamburger with the onions.  Pulse the carrot and peppers in a food processor until finely chopped.  Add peppers, carrots, brown rice, salt and pepper to the browned hamburger.

Notice how finely chopped the carrots and peppers are?
That's what you want... we're trying to hide them :) 

Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl.  Add to the hamburger mixture while stirring.  This is important because you don't want to end up with fried egg in the bottom of the pan, you want it sticking to all the delicious bits of burger.

Next, add the coarsely chopped cabbage, tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and worcestershire sauce.  Stir to combine.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Serves 6-8.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Nothing says fall comfort food like pumpkin.  Here is a delicious and nutritious alternative to your everyday cupcakes.  Pumpkin puree helps slash fat while adding fiber and flavor!

1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
1 large apple, pulsed in food processor or finely chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup raw sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix pumpkin puree in a large bowl with chopped apple, carrots and raisins.  Stir in raw sugar, eggs and oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.  Add to wet ingredients, then add walnuts and stir until blended.

Spoon batter into cupcake wrappers and bake for 30 minutes.  Let cupcakes cool in pan, then transfer to a plate.  Makes 12 super moist cupcakes.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Fall is here and we are all starting to crave warm comfort food.  Here is a simple recipe for homemade tomato soup.  Make with fresh, local tomatoes or grab canned if you are in a crunch.  I'll admit, it does sound like a daunting task, but keep reading and find out just how simple it is to make.  

3 medium tomatoes, peeled and quartered
-OR-
1 can of tomatoes, cut up (couldn't be easier, right?!?)

1 cup water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley or (2 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon raw sugar
1 small hot pepper, chopped (optional)
salt to taste

If desired, seed the fresh tomatoes.  In a large saucepan combine fresh tomatoes or undrained canned tomatoes, water, onion, celery, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, raw sugar and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or till celery and onions are very tender.  Cool slightly.

Place half of the tomato mixture in a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.  Return all to the saucepan and heat through.  Makes about 4 cups.

Time saving tip:  Make a double or triple batch!  Freeze in canning jars for a quick meal.

Almond Coconut Bites

Does making cookies in under 10 minutes sound impossible to you?  One of the number one reasons for not eating healthy is that there's not enough time,  but anyone can pull this off.  These cookies are made of whole, real food and contain no refined sugar. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed!

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup coconut, shredded and unsweetened

10 dates, pitted

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (optional)

Pulse almonds in a food processor until they resemble fine bread crumbs.  Add the coconut, dates, cocoa and coconut oil.  Pulse until everything clumps together.  Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl if necessary.  Taste the cookie mixture... If it's not sweet enough, add the maple syrup or honey and give it a few more pulses.  Using a tablespoon, scoop out the mixture (pressing against the side of the bowl) and drop by spoonfuls on a plate or piece of waxed paper.  Cool in the refrigerator until firm.  Eat & enjoy.

Variations & Substitutions

Coconut is not your thing? Use all nuts.

Allergic to nuts? Use all coconut.

Don't like almonds?  Try your favorite nut.  Walnuts are a good choice.

Out of coconut oil?  Try peanut, almond or sunflower seed butter.  Just use a smidgen less.

Switch things up by adding cranberries, raisins, seeds or dark chocolate chunks, you're only limited by your imagination!

Egg Bake

On busy days, I find myself looking for something simple and healthy that doesn't create a huge mess.  This dish doesn't require waiting for meat to thaw, but is still loaded with protein.  It's also one of those dishes that can easily be customized with whatever vegetables you may have in the refrigerator... the possibilities are endless!  Measuring really isn't necessary with this recipe, just make sure that you choose a baking dish large enough for the egg and vegetable mixture.

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
sliced mushrooms
sliced green onions
chopped peppers
small amount of coconut oil or butter
6 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 dashes of hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper

In a medium skillet, saute mushrooms, green onions and peppers in butter or coconut oil until tender; drain.  Place in the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch pie plate and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.  In a bowl, beat eggs.  Add milk, spinach, hot sauce, salt and pepper; mix well.  Slowly pour over the vegetable and cheese mixture in the pie plate.  Bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.  Enjoy!