slices of whole grain bread, toasted2 tbsp pickles (your choice), drained and finely chopped
1 tbsp minced red onion
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced
2 cups arugula or spinach
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Drain the sardines and place in a small bowl, along with the mayonnaise, minced red onion and chopped pickles. Mix well to combine and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Divide the sardine mixture among four slices of bread and top with tomato slices, arugula or spinach leaves and avocado slices before adding another slice of bread and serving.
Stuffed Tomatoes
Number of servings: 8
Ingredients:
8 medium-sized tomatoes
2 ½ cups cooked brown rice
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Start by preheating your oven to 400 F. Slice the tops off of each tomato and scoop out most of the flesh (a grapefruit spoon works well for this). Mix together the brown rice, pine nuts, basil and olive oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Fill each tomato with the rice and pine nut mixture. Place the tomatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cool and serve at room temperature.
Sesame Noodles with Vegetables
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) – about 6 oz uncooked*
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup shelled edamame (green soybeans)
2/3 cup of strong, freshly brewed green tea
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1” inch long piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced or crushed
2 medium size zucchini or yellow crookneck squash, halved lengthwise and sliced about ¼” thick
2 tsp sesame seeds
juice and zest of 1 lemon
soy sauce, to taste
* whole grain fettuccine may be substituted if you can’t find soba noodles
Preparation:
Heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, then add the ginger and cook for another minute. Add the sliced zucchini or yellow squash and sauté for another 3 minutes, until the zucchini is crisp-tender. Add the green tea, edamame and a splash of soy sauce and bring to a simmer, then add the spinach, lemon juice and zest, the sesame seeds and the remaining 1 tbsp of sesame oil, stir once and remove from heat.
Serve the vegetable mixture over the cooked noodles, reserving any remaining cooking liquid to serve on the side.
Chipotle Salmon with Peanut Salsa
Number of servings: 8
Ingredients:
8 salmon fillets, about 4 – 5 ounces each
8 cloves of garlic
5 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 cups roasted peanuts, salted or unsalted
2 dried ancho or guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped
½ cup honey
juice of 2 limes
salt, to taste
a little chopped cilantro, for garnish
Preparation:
For the salsa:
Roast the garlic cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally until the garlic is softened and begins to blacken. Remove from heat and set aside the garlic to cool – peel the garlic once it has cooled.
While the garlic cools, toast the ancho or guajillo peppers in the same skillet until aromatic (this should take 3 -5 minutes). Place the toasted chilies in a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow the peppers to rehydrate for about 30 minutes. Drain the peppers and transfer to a food processor along with the toasted garlic, the peanuts and 3 of the chipotle peppers. Add just a little bit of lime juice and blend until smooth, adding more juice if needed. Season to taste with salt and transfer to a bowl.
For the salmon:
Heat your oven to broil. While the oven heats, add the honey, a pinch of salt and the remaining 2 chipotle peppers. Process until the ingredients form a smooth puree.
Broil the salmon filets on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 2 minutes per side. Remove from the broiler and brush with the chipotle-honey glaze. Broil for another 2 minutes or until the salmon reaches your desired level of doneness. Serve hot with peanut salsa and garnished with chopped cilantro.
Spinach and Cheese Bread Pudding
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
8 thick slices of whole grain bread, cut into 1” cubes
1 10 ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
6 large eggs
2 cups milk (whole or 2%, not skim)
1 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well, but any cheese you like will do fine)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Start by preheating your oven to 375 F. While the oven is heating, beat the eggs, milk, thyme, nutmeg and a pinch each of salt and black pepper (or more, if desired) with a whisk until well blended. Fold in the spinach, shredded cheese and bread cubes.
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