Easy Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz                   ziti/penne, uncooked (if elbow macaroni, 14 oz or less) Use 

                               chickpea, lentil, einkorn or spelt pasta.

3 cups                 spaghetti sauce, divided, about 28 oz jar if using store-bought

1 ¾ cup (15 oz)  ricotta or cottage cheese

2 cups (8 oz)       grated mozzarella cheese

1 Tablespoon      dried parsley or ¼ c chopped fresh

1                         egg

1 teaspoon         dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoon        garlic powder

½ teaspoon        salt

¼ teaspoon        black pepper

3 Tablespoon     grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

 1.        Cook pasta al dente.

 2.     In large bowl, stir together hot pasta, 1 ½ c Spaghetti sauce and other ingredients EXCEPT reserved sauce and Parmesan cheese.

       3.       Spoon mixture into a 9” x 13” pan.

       4.       Spoon on remaining sauce.

       5.       Sprinkle with Parmesan

       6.       Cover with foil.

       7.       Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Makes 10 1-cup servings.

If you make it ahead of time and then chill it, bake about 10 minutes longer.

Stuffed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

Desired amount of baking potatoes, definitely organic, washed

Butter or ghee

Broccoli, organic and cooked to desired tenderness

Bacon, no nitrates or nitrites in processing, organic, cooked and crumbled

Sour Cream

Cheddar cheese, grated

Chives or onions, washed (peeled) and chopped if fresh

DIRECTIONS:

1.       If potatoes are not wrapped in foil, you may want to poke each one a couple times so they don’t split while cooking

2.       Bake at 350 F for 1-1 ¼ hours depending on size of potatoes

3.       When done, serve potatoes on plate, slit open and fill with desired toppings.

Thai Green Curry Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

14 oz can coconut milk, organic

2 ½ TBsp green curry paste

1 ½ Tbsp coconut palm sugar, honey or brown sugar

1+ TBsp fish sauce

2 chicken breasts (organic and/or pastured), boneless, skinless, and cut into bite-size chunks

1/2 -1 cup frozen green beans, organic, cut into ½” pieces or peas or other vegetables

1/3 c chicken stock, organic

Fresh basil, organic

DIRECTIONS:

1.       In large skillet or saucepan simmer the coconut milk and curry paste over medium heat for 5 minutes

2.       Add sweetener, fish sauce, chicken, vegetables and chicken stock.

3.       Simmer 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally

4.       Garnish with fresh basil and serve over rice. (long-grain brown or brown and wild rice, organic)

Confetti Casserole

1 lb ground turkey or beef, free range if possible

¼+ cup chopped onion

1 tsp sea salt (Real Salt)

1/8 tsp pepper

¼ tsp dry mustard

1 Tbsp coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)

4 oz cream cheese

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

16 oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (without lima beans)

Fritos Corn Chips

1.      Brown beef and onions in skillet or small Dutch oven

2.      Add in salt, pepper, dry mustard, sugar, cream cheese.

3.      Stir until cheese melts.

4.      Add tomato sauce and vegetables.

5.      Stir.

6.      Place in an 8” x 8” casserole dish.

7.      Sprinkle with crumbed corn chips.

8.      Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

9.      Uncover. Bake 10 minutes longer.

This can be doubled and baked in a 9” x 13” pan. Add 10 minutes to the covered baking time.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 white onion chopped
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sage leaves
• ½ cup fresh parsley 
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 1½ cup purple cabbage, sliced
• 1½ cup lacinato kale
• two 15.5 ounce cans of cannellini beans, rinsed
• 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crumbled goat cheese or shaved raw sheep cheese for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In the bottom of a stock pot add avocado oil and pan fry the carrots, onions, celery, garlic and squash over medium heat.
2. Add broth.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Top with crumbled goat cheese. (optional)

Six-Week Bran Muffins

This is a work in progress.
NOTE!!! As Einkorn (and spelt) wheat absorbs moisture at a slower rate, store this batter in the refrigerator for at least a day before baking when using either of these two wheats.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups water

2 cups Nature’s Path “Smart Bran” cereal

1 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup raw local honey

1 cup coconut palm sugar (it is brown)

1/2 cup molasses

4 eggs

5 cups whole Einkorn or spelt flour

1 cup almond flour

1Tablespoon chia seed

5 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 quart buttermilk, or equal parts milk & sour cream

2 1/2 cups Kellogg’s All Bran cereal (look for more healthy alternative)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1) Boil water in small to medium size sauce pan.

2) Add “Smart Bran” cereal. Stir and soak until needed later.

3) In very large bowl, mix melted coconut oil, sugar and honey.

4) Add eggs and stir.

5) Add soaked bran and stir.

6) In another large bowl, stir together flours, baking soda and salt.

7) Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to very large bowl, stirring after each addition.

8) Fold in All Bran cereal until moistened.

9) Bake in well-greased or paper-lined muffin tin @ 400 degrees for 15 or more minutes.

Nuts, dates, dried fruit, 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce, banana or even grated carrot may be added if desired.

This batter may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 c almond flour
1/2 c arrowroot starch
1/2 c brown coconut palm sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 stick (8 oz or 8 Tbsp) butter, room temperature (but not too soft), divided into eight 1-Tbsp pieces
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional) Try other flavors (peppermint, orange, lemon) or simply vanilla
Maybe try some citrus zest if using citrus extracts or essential oils

1. Preheat oven to 300 * F.

2. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets and set aside.

3. In mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (all except butter and flavorings) until well coombined.

4. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter (a few pieces at a time) into the flour-sugar mixture. Repeat the process until all 8 Tbsp are incorporated. At this stage, it is fine to still have some small lumps of butter not fully mixed in.

5. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, stirring to incorporate, and then use your hands to knead the dough until all ingredients, including the butter, are well combined

6. With your hands, form dough into walnut-size balls, place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and use fork to press down in the middle of the cookies (flatten the center and shape the cookie). Place back in the oven to bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. Let cookies cool completely before removing from the cookie sheet. As the cookies cool, the arrowroot starch acts as a binder preventing the cookies from crumbling. When the cookies have completely cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.