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How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 4-6)

• 2 Ripe Avocados 
• 1 Small white onion
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1 small Jalapeño 
• 4 small Kumato Tomatoes 
• 2 Tbsp’s of freshly chopped Cilantro leaves
• 1 Lemon
• 2 Tsp’s of “Mesa Rosa Chipotle” spice
• Salt to taste 
• Leftover Hard Taco Shells (optional)

Putting it together:

1. Halve your Avocados and score the flesh. With a spoon, core out the flesh into a medium sized bowl. Using a fork, mash the Avocados until the texture is smooth and creamy. 
2. Small dice your tomatoes and white onion. Add that to the bowl. Finely mince your garlic cloves and Jalapeño (making sure to remove the seeds) and add that to the bowl as well. 
3. Juice 1 lemon into the bowl, add your Chipotle spice, Cilantro Leaves and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients together well. 
4. Serve with regular Guacamole/Salsa chips or use leftover hard taco shells. 

Nourishment for your body: Avocados are renowned to provide your body with healthy fats. They are loaded with vitamins such as Vitamins K, C, E, B vitamins, folate and potassium. They do not contain sodium, cholesterol and are low in saturated fat and high in fiber. 

Tips when cooking: For the spice in this Guacamole, you can use any Chipotle spice blend you can find. Anything like a Southwestern smoky spice blend will go well. The “Mesa Rosa ” spice is a mixture of Chipotle pepper, cumin, coriander, salt and garlic. If you prefer a more intense spicy flavor, you can add the seeds from your Jalapeño because the seeds are where the heat is retained. Whenever we have taco night at my home, I almost always have leftover hard taco shells that are stored in my pantry and get stale before the next Taco night roles around. Instead of using regular chips, you can tear off triangular shaped “chips” from your leftover hard Taco shells and use those.  For a truly unique way to use Avocados in a dessert, check out this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis…

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chocolate-avocado-mousse-recipe-2110024

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Yields 6-8 servings)

• 1- 15.5 oz can of Cannellini Beans
• 1-15.5 oz can of Red Kidney Beans
• 1-15.5 oz can of Chickpeas
• 2 Shallots (finely chopped)
• 1 Tbsp of freshly chopped Parsley
• 1 Tbsp of freshly chopped Mint
• 1 Tsp of freshly chopped Lemon Thyme
• 1 Tsp of chopped Tarragon

Ingredients for the dressing:

• 2 Garlic Cloves (finely minced)
• 1 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp Worcestershire
• 1 Tsp of Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 a cup of good quality Olive Oil 
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Putting it together:

1. Place all the beans in a colander and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear.  Place all the beans in a medium sized bowl. 
2. Finely chop your Shallots and add them to the beans. Finely mince your garlic cloves and place in a small separate bowl. To that bowl add your balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, dijon mustard, salt and black pepper to taste. Whisk in 1/2 a cup of  Olive Oil. 
3. Pour dressing all over your beans and mix together well. 

Nourishment for your body: Chickpeas contain a high amount of fiber which will help with digestion, increasing satiety and can help with weight loss. Chickpeas contain complex carbohydrates, helping you to digest slowly while sustaining energy longer. Chickpeas are also packed with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Cannellini Beans and Red Kidney beans are just as healthy for you; Both contain high amounts of protein, vitamins , minerals and help to control sugar levels in the blood.

 Tips when cooking: This is actually my husband’s recipe and he uses Green Beans as well. Boil about 10-15 beans until cooked through and when they’ve cooled , cut them in half and add them in. For those of you with a seafood allergy, you should omit the Worcestershire because it contains anchovies. This is a wonderful salad to have as a side dish. It also holds up well for several days in the fridge, even though it is tossed in a dressing. 

How to re-create this recipe: 

Ingredients:

(Yields 8-10 servings)

• 2 Lbs of Lamb Stew Meat
• 1 Medium Yellow or White Onion (small diced)
• 2 Celery Stalks (small diced)
• 28 Oz Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 60 grams of Walnuts (about 3/4 cup/finely chopped)
• 2 cups of Beef Broth
• 2 cups of water
• 2-3 Tbsp’s of Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp of Table Salt (plus more for seasoning)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Tsp ground Coriander
• 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 2 Garlic Cloves (smashed)
• 2 Tbsp of fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 a cup of Basmati Rice
• 1/4 cup of Fresh Parsley
• 1/4 cup of Fresh Dill

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat a Dutch oven or Soup pot over medium/high heat.  Add 2 Tbsp’s of Olive Oil , sprinkle the 2 Tsp’s of salt on the meat,and sear your Lamb until all sides are browned. You do not have to cook it fully. Once the meat is browned remove it from the pot and set it aside.
2. Add about a Tsp of Olive Oil and the chopped onions and celery and saute on high heat for about 5 minutes until the veggies have softened.
3. Add the canned tomatoes (do not strain the tomatoes), bay leaves, 2 cups of beef broth, 2 cups of water, and the lamb and cook for about 1.5 hour , with the lid on and simmer until the meat is very tender.
4. After 1.5 hour add the rice, smashed garlic cloves, chopped walnuts, lemon juice, coriander, paprika and oregano and simmer for another 20 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
5. After 20 minutes add your chopped up Parsley and Dill and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Nourishment for your body:  Harcho is the perfect one pot meal! It’s got your protein, starch and plenty of veggies all rolled into one pot! Lamb has an impressive amount of B vitamins. Lambs also need to be grass fed and they have a significant amount of omega 3 to omega 6 ratio which is great for heart health.

Tips when cooking: You can substitute the Lamb in this soup for Beef, Pork, Chicken or goose. One thing that I love about Harcho is that there are many different spices you can use and substitute several of the ingredients. Other spices to add can be Turmeric, Marjoram, Fenugreek, Sumac, and allspice. Traditional Harcho typically has something called Tklapi which is a dried sour plum condiment. If you do not come across this, you can substitute Tamarind paste for it. You don’t have to necessarily use Basmati rice either. Jasmine or any other long grain rice is good. 

How to re-create this recipe:

Ingredients:

(Yields 1.5 Quart/6 Servings)

• 1 Pineapple
• 4 Granny Smith Apples
• 1.5 ounces of fresh Mint Leaves

Putting it together:

1. Set up a juicing machine and rinse the outside of your Apples and Pineapple
2. Cube your Pineapple and Apples and tear off all your mint leaves from their stems (there is no need to peel your Apples and you can cube the core of the Pineapple and juice that as well)
3. Add all your ingredients to your juicer and stir the juice afterwards
4. Serve over ice or by itself and enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: I recently had this delicious concoction at a juice bar. The flavor is so refreshing and will make you feel invigorated. Its the perfect combination of flavors on a warm, slightly breezy and sunny day. It tastes like happiness and the aroma is so sweet and pleasant! Pineapple Juice is high In vitamins C, A and B-1 which helps to promote energy. It contains something called Bromelain which is an enzyme that helps to reduce swelling and inflammation.  Pineapple Juice also promotes mental health; It is a good source of the amino acid Tryptophan which is used by the body to produce Serotonin, one of our “happy hormones.”

Tips when cooking: A Juicer machine is one of the best investments you can make as far as your future and your overall health and wellness is concerned. Juicing helps the body absorb vitamins and nutrients better. It helps with weight loss, boosts the immune system, detoxifies our bodies, and aids in digestion. 

How to re-create this recipe: 

Ingredients:

(Yields 2.5 Quarts/ 8 Servings)

• 10 Cups of Water
• 2 Pound Whole Red Snapper (scaled, gutted and cut into 3 sections including the head )
• 5 Carrots 
• 3 Celery Stalks
• 2 Large Red Skinned Potatoes
• 2 Small White Onions
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 6 Black Peppercorns 
• 1/4 Tsp of Saffron (optional)
• Small Bunch of Dill (about 3 stems )
• Small Bunch of Flat Leaf Parsley (about 3 stems)
• Salt to taste

Putting it together: 

1. Rinse your Fish off with cold water and place it in a Medium sized pot with the bay leaves and black peppercorns. Add 10 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. Boil the fish for 30 minutes with the lid on.
2. While your fish is cooking, you can prep the rest of your ingredients. Wash all your vegetables, peel your carrots and cut them into small sized chunks. Set aside. 
3. Cut your celery and potatoes into small chunks and set aside. 
4. Cut your white onions into a fine dice and set aside. 
5. After the fish is done cooking, strain your broth into a fine mesh sieve and into a clean pot. Set your fish aside so that it can cool down a bit. Clean the pot that you cooked your fish in and place the broth back into that pot. Add all your vegetables, Dill, Parsley, saffron, and continue to cook the broth for another 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through. 
6. While the broth is cooking, remove the skin and bones off the fish and pull off chunks of the white flesh into a small bowl. 
7. After 15 minutes, add the chunks of fish and adjust your seasoning by adding salt to taste. 

Nourishment for your body: Ukha soup has a distinctive, delicate and subtle flavor. Fishing is a popular pastime in Russian culture and families would prepare this soup with the “catch of the day.” Ukha is a traditional and typical item to have on menus in Russian Restaurants. The broth is healthy for you in that the nutrients extracted from the bones while cooking contain a good amount of calcium, iodine, Omega 3 fatty acids, and gelatin (which contains collagen).  

Tips when cooking: Using Saffron is completely optional and traditional Ukha does not call for it. I like it because it tends to add color, rich flavor and aroma to any broth. You don’t necessarily have to use Red Snapper to make this soup. You should aim to have a soup that is transparent with a sweet broth. You can either use one whole fish or several different types of fish such as Pike, Perch, Catfish. Good quality fish heads, bones and tails are key to making this delicious soup.