·         Top 10 Things to Do with Kale
·         Chop it up, saute, and scramble with eggs.
·         Add a handful to yogurt, berries, and blend to make a green smoothie.
·         For a healthful addition to a cold pasta salad, add chopped kale to the pasta the last 10 minutes of the boil. Drain. Add pesto or your favorite oil and vinegar dressing and additional chopped vegetables (a great way to get rid of those random vegetables!)
·         Kale chips
·         Add to your favorite stir fry recipe.
·         Add to any soup.
·         Greens in peanut sauce.
·         Saute and add to your favorite hummus recipe (pretty AND nutritious!)
·         Confetti Kale
Kale Potato Soup.

Corn Salad
2 cups whole Kernel corn cooked and drained
¾ cup chopped tomato
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup fat free ranch dressing
In a bowl combine vegetables, stir in dressing, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make a meal: hamburger, watermelon wedge, low fat milk

 

Quick Ratatouille
2 T oil
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced eggplant, skin on
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup canned pasta sauce (tomato based)
½ cup water
2-3 T basil
½ t black pepper
Saute chopped bell peppers, zucchini, onion, eggplant and garlic in oil until tender – about 15 min.  add the pasta sauce, water, basil and pepper.  Simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring from time to time.  Can also use yellow squash in this recipe.

Roasted Root Vegetables
4 medium-sized root vegetables (potatoes, turnip, beet, sweet potato, radish)
2 chopped carrots
1 medium chopped onion
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 T Parmesan Cheese
favorite herbs or spices
Preheat oven to 350.  Cut vegetables into large chunks, place in a medium bowl and pour oil over top add seasonings and parmesan cheese and mix well.  Spread an even layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour or until tender.  (Spices: pepper, cumin, rosemary, basil, garlic, sage)ettuce with Hot Bacon Dressing
Hard boiled egg  sliced          4 teaspoon white sugar
6 slices cooked bacon            ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sliced onion                 8 cups leaf lettuce – rinsed, dried, torn
¼ cup white vinegar               8 radishes, thinly sliced
¼ cup water
Fry bacon in large deep skillet, drain, crumble, reserve grease.  Add onions to skillet and cook until tender, add bacon, vinegar, water, sugar & salt & bring to a boil.  Put lettuce in a large bowl. Pour hot dressing over & toss well.  Garnish with sliced egg and radishes.

Roasted Radish
Clean & cut into halves, toss in olive oil and sea salt.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast
at 400 until crispy and beginning to brown on the outside, soft on the inside.  Eat plain
or add butter and lemon juice.

Omelet Bake
1 T oil
3 cups cut vegetables (Asparagus, zucchini, squash, peppers, onions
½ cup tomatoes diced
8 eggs
¼ cup low-fat or skim milk
½ cup grated parmesan cheese or other cheese
Preheat oven to 350 heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.  Add vegetables and tomatoes; cook and stir until tender about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.  Wisk together the eggs and milk in a small bowl; pour over the sautéed vegetables and stir the mixture briefly.  Add parmesan cheese.  Carefully pour mixture into a greased 8x8 casserole dish.  Bake in oven until firm about 20 minutes.

 Roasted Asparagus with parmesan cheese
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 T oil
¼ teaspoon salt & ¼ T pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 place asparagus in single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil sprinkle with salt & pepper roll around to lightly coat roast 10-15 min.  Remove from oven & sprinkle with the cheese return to the oven and bake until the cheese melts.
May also sauté in skillet on top burner. 5 – 10 min.

Black Bean Salsa
2 (16oz) cans black beans
2 cups corn (blanched)
½ cup fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 purple onions, chopped
8 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, chipped
2 t canola oil
6 T lime or lemon juice
2 t salt
2 t garlic powder
Rinse the beans and corn and drain put in a bowl. Add other veggies.  Combine oil, juice,salt and garlic powder in a bowl and mix well stir into bean & veggie mixture.  Chill, covered 2 – 10 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Marinated Green Beans
Green beans, 1 (16 oz) bottle balsamic vinaigrette, 1 (4 oz) jar pimentos, chopped.
Place beans and vinaigrette in a large sealable plastic bag and seal.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 – 10 hours.  To serve, place the beans in a serving bowl and add the pimentos.  Serve cold as a salad or side dish.

Mexican Coleslaw
4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup cooked whole kernel corn
2 1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon water
½ teaspoon garlic, ground cumin, oregano
¼ cup fresh cilantro
½ to 1 jalapeno chile seeded and chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
combine cabbage, green onion, bell pepper, corn in large bowl mix other ingredients and pour over cabbage mixture & toss to coat.  Chill covered for 1 hour before serving.

Corn Salad
16 oz blanched corn
½ cup chopped bell pepper
½ onion finely chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 T mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste

Potato Onion Soup
5 slices bacon
1 – 2 cups onion
1 12oz can evaporated milk
1 ½ cup water
1 ½ cup chicken broth
2 ½ cups chopped peeled potatoes
1 teaspoon salt & curry powder
¼ cup parsley leaves
Fry bacon in skillet until crisp.  Remove bacon to paper towels to drain & cool, reserving drippings in the skillet.  Crumble the bacon.  Saute onions in drippings until translucent.  Combine with evaporated milk, water, broth, potatoes, salt and curry powder in a saucepan and mix well.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Simmer for 20 min. or until potatoes are tender.  Ladle into bowls.  Sprinkle with parsley and crumbled bacon.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (other vegetables & meats can be used with same sauce)
1 Tablespoon sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, chili powder
¼ cup soy sauce
1 pound ground pork
1 clove garlic minced
1 2 inch piece of ginger minced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 bell pepper sliced
2 eggplant sliced
combine sugar, cornstarch,soy sauce, vinegar in a small bowl and mix well.  Brown the ground pork with garlic and ginger in large saucepan stirring until pork is crumbly.  Add the carrot, bell pepper and eggplant and stir fry until almost tender.  Add the soy mixture.  Cook until thickened stirring constantly.  Stir in chili powder to taste.
Eggplant Grilled
Brush both sides with oil/butter salt, pepper grill
Can also use a pizza crust and top with tomato, and favorite pizza topping (basil)

Zucchini Italian Style
2 zucchini, sliced
1 16 oz can stewed or Italian tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced
1 3 oz can sliced mushrooms
12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350.  Layer zucchini, tomatoes, onion and mushrooms in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 30 -45 min until tender.  Sprinkle with cheese bake for 10-15 min more until cheese melts.

Pumpkin – Bundt Cake
4 eggs
2 cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 cup Flour
2 cup pumpkin
2 tsp soda/salt/cinnamon
Beat eggs & sugar – add oil – mix dry ingredients add to egg mixture – add pumpkin
spray bundt cake pan with cooking spray – add mixture - cook 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Pumpkin Snack Cake
1 18.5 oz box Devils Food cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin or 2 cups fresh pumpkin (cooked and mashed)
Mix cake mix and pumpkin in a large bowl.  Batter will be thick.
Spread batter into a greased 13x9 inch cake pan bake according to cake mix package for 13x9.  cool and cut into 15 pieces.  May also make cupcakes and use other flavors of cake mix.

Pumpkin Fudge
Prep: 10 min., Cook: 15 min., Stand: 2 hrs. Line pan with aluminum foil before you begin to cook the fudge. Once the candy thermometer reaches 234° and the remaining ingredients are added, quickly spoon the fudge into the pan.
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:    Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft-ball stage) or for about 12 minutes.
Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.

HONEY CANDY
1 cup honey
3 cups sugar
1 cup cream
pour honey into heavy saucepan.  Stir in sugar.  Cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.  Add the cream.  Cook to 250 – 268 degrees on a candy thermometer,  Hard ball stage.  Pour into a buttered 9x12 in pan.  Let stand until cool enough to handle.  Butter hands & pull the taffy until mixture is porous and golden brown.  Shape into ropes on waxed paper and score with a knife to desired size.  Break & wrap in waxed paper. 

Peachy Pops
2 peaches
2/3 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 cups orange juice
6 paper cups
6 plastic spoons
Remove skin and chop peaches, spoon the peaches evenly into the 6 paper cups.  In a medium bowl, combine yogurt and orange juice.  Mix well.  Pour yogurt mixture evenly into each cup over the beaches.  Place a spoon in the center of the cup.  Cover with foil & poke whole for spoon to freeze in the middle.  Freeze for at least 4 hours. 
 

Mayan Hot Chocolate
Loaded with calcium and beta-carotene (from the squash), this thick creamy drink is substantial enough for dessert. Canned pumpkin will work fine too. The ranch uses Ibarra Mexican Chocolate in this drink, but we’ve simplified it with semi-sweet chocolate.
1 small butternut squash
2 1/2 cups 1% milk, divided
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Large pinch nutmeg
Large pinch cardamom           
Preheat oven to 375. Cut squash in half; place halves, cut sides down, in a roasting pan. Fill with water up to 1-inch. Bake 30 minutes or until squash is tender.  OR  Prick squash with fork several times, place in Microwave and cook on high for  8 minutes or so until tender (push ‘potato’ option on some microwaves).
Remove seeds and save to toast for later, and scoop out pulp to measure 2/3 cup. Puree squash with ½ cup milk in a food processor until smooth.
 In a large saucepan, mix remaining 2 cups milk, chocolate and spices. Heat over a double boiler or in a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and creamy. Remove from heat and whisk in pureed squash. Reheat. Serves 4.

Simple Winter Squash Recipe
1 Winter squash (1-1/2 lb.), cut lengthwise in half, seeded
2 slices  Bacon
2 Tbsp. maple-flavored or pancake syrup
1 Tbsp.   Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing  
PLACE squash, cut-sides up, in microwaveable dish; cover with waxed paper.
MICROWAVE on HIGH 12 to 14 min. or until squash is tender. Meanwhile, cook bacon 8 to 10 min. or until crisp, turning occasionally; drain.
CUT squash into wedges; brush with combined syrup and dressing. Crumble bacon; sprinkle over squash.

Toasted Squash/Pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place seeds on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Spritz/drizzle and toss with olive oil
Sprinkle with favorite seasonings; herbs, Mrs Dash, sea salt, pepper, worscestershire sauce, roast in oven about 15 minutes until brown and crisp, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly, eat like popcorn or use instead of croutons on your favorite salad.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUFFLE (Makes 6 servings)
1 Large butternut squash (about 2 lbs.)
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup all purpose flour
1Tbs finely chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp ground sage)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
Remove stem from squash. Cut squash lengthwise into 4 pieces: remove and discard seeds (or save to roast later). Cook squash in boiling water to cover in a large saucepan over medium heat 10 – 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well; let cool for 25 minutes or until completely cool. Remove and discard peel.
Process squash and eggs in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape
down sides. Add sour cream and remaining ingredients; process 20 – 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8 – inch square baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 55 – 60 minutes or until set.

Watermelon Sorbet
 5 cups watermelon seeded
2 teaspoons lime juice (lemon will work)

2-6 Tablespoons sugar (to taste)
Blend and freeze in an icecream freezer