You don't have to be a wizard in the kitchen to create magic in your meals!
The most frequent comment I receive from my clients is ‘I do not have time to plan our family meals’ or ‘I have never planned our family meals’. I also hear ‘I buy food when I think of it while I am at the grocery store.’ Does this sound like you? If so, you are not alone. Many families find themselves struggling with trying to prioritize their time because their lives are so busy which often results in making sacrifices including preparing healthy meals. For most people, creating grocery lists and planning meals is not as overwhelming a task than the challenge of prioritizing their time. The saying, ‘practice makes perfect’, certainly applies to meal planning. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
For me, the most frustrating part about following a recipe is not being able to find ingredients that are readily available. I stick to the simple basics with most of ingredients already in my pantry. My recipes are not too long or complex, reasonably fast to make, and most importantly are easy to prepare. Occasionally, I will show you a recipe that is a little more adventurous, but certainly worth the time. Once you create your own style of preparing meals, it will become second nature for you in choosing appropriate food combinations, spices and herbs, and any substitutions. You will be able to make delicious and nutritious meals that satisfy you and your family!
Here’s another favorite recipe if you are in the mood for Italian. Easy to prepare especially if you made the Cheezy sauce and pesto ahead of the time and you happen to have a jar of organic pasta sauce. I like making this savory Italian delight with Arrabiata sauce for extra kick! Super family meal, nutritious, and full of Italian herb flavors. . . . A dish you will most likely prepare again!
Eggplant Parmesan with Cheezy Sauce and Pesto
Ingredients (4-6 Servings)
Coconut oil
One eggplant
3-4 tbsp flax meal mix with ¾ cup filtered room temperature water. Should be runny. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Sea salt
Bread crumbs
Pasta sauce (any variety) or homemade
3 oz. Crimini mushrooms chopped
Cooked greens – spinach, collard greens, kale, or chard
Fresh parsley
*Use organic ingredients whenever possible
Instructions
Slice eggplant into ¼ inches circles. On a cookie sheet place sliced eggplant and sprinkle sea salt on both sides. Let stand for 15 minutes or until you see the eggplant sweating. Rinse thoroughly and dry. While waiting for eggplant, sauté chopped mushrooms in sauce pan with a broth or coconut oil on low to medium heat. When mushrooms are tender turn heat down to low heat and add pasta sauce. Let simmer until hot. Place bread crumbs in a pie or shallow dish. Place flax meal in pie or shallow dish (add water if necessary to keep its runny texture). Dip each eggplant slice in flax meal liquid and coat each side then place in bread crumb dish and coat both sides. May need to add more bread crumbs with the additional eggplant slices. In a skillet, cook eggplant dipped slices in coconut oil. 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Place paper towel on a plate and transfer cooked eggplant. Keep eggplant warm in the oven. Boil greens in hot water for only one minute. Drain. Place greens on bottom of plate and place a few slices of eggplant on top. Ladle pasta sauce over eggplant. Optional: top with non-dairy cheese, or Cheezy sauce (see recipe below), and or pesto (see recipe below). Garnish with fresh parsley or fresh basil.
Cheezy Sauce (Need high speed blender or Vitamix)
½ cup raw cashews (soak for 1 hour)
1 cup filtered water
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes soaked in room temperature filtered water or 1/3 roasted red bell pepper
Optional: substitute sun dried tomatoes or roasted red pepper for 1 cup cooked cauliflower to make a white sauce. Sometimes I use combination sundried tomatoes (1/8 cup) and cooked cauliflower (1/2 cup)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp onion powder or granules
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp potato starch mixed in ¼ cup filtered water
1 ½ cups boiling filtered water
Optional: Smoked paprika to taste. May add spices later in your meals depending on type of cuisine i.e. Italian, Mexican, etc.
Place all ingredients except for boiling water and potato starch in high speed blender. Turn to high for 6-7 minutes until you see steam in blender. Turn down speed and add potato starch mixture and boiling water. Blend for one minute. Let cool and transfer to quart Mason jar.
Homemade Pesto (Need high speed blender or Vitamix)
2 cups chopped basil (may substitute with combination spinach or arugula)
3 Tbsp. pine nuts -lightly toasted (may substitute with toasted walnuts or Brazil nuts)
3 garlic cloves
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in high speed blender. Start on low speed to chop and mix ingredients. Increase speed on medium high or 7 setting on Vitamix for one minute. Use stamping tool to aid in mixing and spatula on sides of blender. For creamier pesto, blend for longer. Avoid over blending that will cause pesto mixture to overheat and cook. Half of recipe can be placed in a small jar in the freezer for future use. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
What? A snack that satisfies your sweet tooth and helps fight inflammation all rolled into one great recipe? That’s right! These treats will make your tongue tingle with a citrusy flavor, they are raw, loaded with superfood nutrients, and so simple to make! Let’s go!
Lemon Orange Turmeric Balls
Ingredients (Makes 24 balls)
12 pitted dates soaked in hot water (keep soak water)
1 cup gluten free rolled oats blended into flour
½ cup almond meal
1 Tbsp. chia seed
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice
½ tsp lemon zest
½ tsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ cup shredded coconut
*Use organic ingredients whenever possible
Instructions
Drain dates and place in a food processor and blend into softened paste. Add the other ingredients in the food processor and blend until mixture turns into a dough-like consistency. Add 1 tablespoon of date soak water if the mixture is too dry.
With the small spoon scoop the mixture and roll into balls. Roll the balls in shredded coconut and place on the baking sheet.
Store energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving
