Avocado Cilantro Dressing

     For full YouTube video click Here!

     Do you try to avoid bottled Salad Dressings?  Do you realize that home made is so much better for yourself?  Do you prefer the taste of those fresh single ingredients?  Whelp, the only thing left for you to do is start preparing what you want to go underneath!  This whips together in a flash, and will be perfect all week long.  I used it to top with Salmon, Beef, Chicken, or my mixed Greens with Almonds.  And the beauty of this recipe is that you can double it, as well as alter the amounts to your desired preferences.  The biggest question is, does this go better with protein, or is it the key to taking your simple salads to the next level!?  Decisions, decisions.

Ingredients~

1 ripe Avocado, peeled and seeded

1 cup Cilantro Leaves

1/2 seeded Jalapeños

1/4 cup Lemon or Lime Juice, alter to desired level of consistency

1 slice diced Purple Onion, according to taste

Dash Lite Salt, to taste

     Add all ingredients to blender and blend til desired consistency.  Store in fridge, feel free to double or triple recipe, and alter quantities to taste.  Enjoy!  :)

  

Triple Roasted Potatoes

     Have you heard of the White Sweet Potato!?  Well, I hadn’t…until now!  Then I had an uppity idea to throw them together with plain ole’ spuds and the standard Sweet…btw, I enjoy Red Garnett Jewel the most.  My Triple Roasted Potatoes are a culmination of the saying the more the merrier, and I might even add the more the better.  So take a walk on the wild side, mix it up, and throw all those potatoes in one pot and see what comes down the pike, you might just like it!😊

Ingredients~

White Potatoes, diced

White Sweet Potatoes, diced

Sweet Potatoes, diced

Scant amount Olive Oil

Seasoning as desired~I use Chili Lime, Salt, Pepper, Garlic

     After dicing potatoes, toss with scant amount Olive Oil, season as desired.  Put White and Sweet White Potatoes on parchment lined cookie sheet, bake at 400 for 20 minutes, stir, then add Sweet Potatoes to pan and continue to roast another 40 minutes, stirring half way thru.  Enjoy:)

Parmesan Crusted Carrots

 

     If you are looking for a fun little twist on those orange sticks, then read on.  This is a simple leveled up recipe with Bugs Bunnies favorite food.  This can fall into the fancy category, or will hold its own as a simple side.  Heck, even perfect as a healthy snack.  So your biggest decision will be how and when to serve!  ;)

Ingredients~

1 pound Carrots, peeled and trimmed into sticks

Scant amount of Olive Oil

Seasoning as desired:  I used Cumin, Chili Lime Powder, Salt, Garlic, Pepper

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

     Peel, trim, and slice Carrots into “Matchsticks”, toss with scant amount of Olive Oil, sprinkle with seasoning as desired, top with Parmesan.  Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet at 400 for 30 min, remove and enjoy! 😉 

Sweet Potato Grains and Hummus

                                                                                      

 

  If you like a nice combo of flavors, this is a great opportunity to try out a bouquet of nuances.  Perfect as a side dish, but hearty enough for a main!  Not to mention, this can be done in bulk, and divided up to use all week long.  Definitely worth a try, and would be appropriate any time of year! 😉

Ingredients~

2 Sweet Potatoes, diced

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 medium Yellow Onions, diced

1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic

1 cup dry Lentils

1/3 cup dry Qunioa

2/3 cup dry Rice

1 Tablespoon Cumin

Salt, as desired

Pepper, as desired

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1 can Garbanzo Beans

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Tahini

1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic

Cumin, as desired

     Toss diced Sweet Potato with 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, bake at 400 for 40 minutes, toss half way thru baking time.  Meanwhile, toss Onion and remaining Tablespoon Olive Oil, add to skillet with Garlic, sauté til golden brown on medium heat, as slow as possible.  Lastly, add three grains to large stock pot with 8 cups water.  Side Note:  feel free to add whatever combination of 2 total cups of the grains if you prefer different ratios.  Bring water to boil, add Lentils, simmer for 15 minutes with lid,  then add Quinoa and Rice and simmer another 15 minutes with lid.  Let rest for 5 minutes, if there is any excess liquid, drain off.  Lastly, stir in Cumin til fully combined, then stir in Onions and Sweet Potatoes. Season as desired with Salt and Pepper.  Serve as is, or top with Hummus.  To make Hummus, drain Garbanzo Beans, reserve 1/3 cup liquid, add Beans and reserved liquid and remaining ingredients to heavy duty blender and whip til smooth.  Enjoy as desired! 😋

Avocado Forever

For full YouTube Video click Here!

     Have you ever found yourself needing just a little bit of Avocado, but you don't have any on hand or what you have is too ripe or too firm!?  It's a conundrum...  Whelp, I have a miracle answer that will make your head spin.  Spoiler alert, ...did you know you can freeze Avocado!?  Yep, it's true.  Try it, and see for yourself, follow along for more details!!!

Ingredients~

Ripe Avocado

     Peel, and mash Avocado, and drop in small mounds on wax or parchment paper.  I dropped by 2 Tablespoons portions, which is about 50 calories each.  You can do whatever portions you desired.  Freeze mashed Avocado for about 2 hours, remove, peel off paper, add to freezer zip lock bag and store all mounds in freezer til ready to use.  Great for impromptu Guac, or top a Salad, or spread on a sandwich.  Just let your imagination be your guide.  Enjoy ;)

Apple Fruit Leather

                       Check out my Tutorial Video here for my Apple Fruit Leather!!!

To start, if we can get our kids to eat whole natural fruit, that is our first option.  That being said, if you are looking for a fun way to get a little more fruit in their bellies, my Apple Fruit Leather is a nice back up plan.  A great little snack with no added sugar, all natural!  Even better, see if you can involve them in the process, it just may increase compliance.  These travel well, perfect for a lunch box, or after soccer snack...or quite frankly anytime of day!

Ingredients~

Apples

     Chop up Apples into small pieces, add to heavy duty blender.  I found it better to blend in small batches, about a 1/2 chopped Apple at a time in my Ninja produced the perfect consistency.  Pour onto a silpat lined cookie sheet, as much as desired to create a thin even layer.  Bake at 170 degrees for 4 hours, leaving oven door open a crack with a wooden spoon.  Remove, cool, cut into strips with a pizza cutter.  Meanwhile, prepare strips of wax paper, lay a strip of leather on top of wax paper, and roll up tightly, then twist the ends securely.  Store in fridge.  Enjoy :)

Ripe Avocados

 

 

                             Check out my tutorial here for Ripe Avocados!!!🥑

     

     Have you ever been in a pickle for a ripe Avocado…only to find all the ones at the store are rock hard!?  Whelp, I got you…keep reading!  Whether it’s Guac, Salads or Wraps that need a touch of green, an Avocado is always the perfect answer.  When you are in desperate pinch, here is an idea.  Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop your unripened Avocado in the boiling water for 15 minutes, remove, allow to cool, and use as desired!  I still prefer the natural ripening process, the flavor is better, much better.  I will only use this when I have no other options!  But every girl needs a few tricks up her sleeve when magic needs to happen!  👊🏻