All posts in Recipes

My cure all… pumpkin soup

by Nanette on August 30, 2011 in Appetizers, Lunch, Recipes, Soups with No comments -->
Pumpkin

Of course a fresh pumpkin is the best and a must for making this extremely nutritious soup. This soup is extremely energizing. Swear it cures the flu. Pumpkin is a very yang (according to my zen macroboitic cookbook) vegetable, which means its has very alkaline propeties, with optimum energy along with the chopped fresh watercress to finish the soup (which is a very yang herb as well).

Supposedly, according to Dr. Lam, its not good to eat lentils if you are a O blood type. But I believe that the red lentils are a must in this satisfying soup. Continue reading →

A Healthier Microwave Popcorn

by Nanette on April 3, 2010 in Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Kids, Recipes, Snacks with No comments -->

OK this is silly but I just have to share this one. Popcorn popped in a brown paper lunch bag with just sea salt. This isn’t a new idea but a smart one.

It’s healthier and more economical than the store bought (artificially oiled) microwave popcorn. It’s also less messy than using the air popper — my air popper pops popcorn everywhere! :) I love this because its a yummy, low fat snack that offers good ruffage. You can get organic popcorn kernels too!

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Irish Coffee

by Nanette on March 17, 2010 in Drinks, Recipes with No comments -->

Here’s a fun Irish Coffee recipe in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. My sister’s Irish in-laws always serve their famous Irish Coffee in their heirloom Irish coffee mugs during their St. Patrick’s Day gathering.

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Sweet Spicy Pecans

by Nanette on March 16, 2010 in Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Recipes, Salads with No comments -->

Yes, there is curry on the pecans. Yes, some people don’t like curry — if this is you, don’t be afraid, they just might surprise you. Even my mother in-law “doesn’t like curry” but she absolutely loves these.

These pecans are great noshing on alone or on a gorgeous salad. I like using it as a topping on a *shredded raw beet, *shredded raw carrot, diced red onions, garbanzo beans, gorgonzola cheese, and fresh spinach salad, drizzled with a delicious grapefruit vinaigrette.

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Eggplant Parmesan… my version

by Nanette on February 26, 2010 in Entrees, Gluten-Free, Lunch, Recipes with No comments -->

Eggplant Parmesan has been one of my favorite Italian dishes for most of my adult life. When I was younger and a bit (maybe a lot) naive, I believed the old folklore that feeding a man basil would make him fall in love with you. Well, there’s a lot of basil in this dish :)

Typically, eggplant slices are dipped in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs and then pan fried. In my version, I use water instead of egg, I spritz the eggplant with oil and then bake instead of pan fry (this helps cut down on the calories). I also like to use goat cheese instead of the mozzarella — it’s easier to digest and most importantly, it’s absolutely delicious. Continue reading →

Red Quinoa Tabouli Salad

by Nanette on February 15, 2010 in Gluten-Free, Lunch, Recipes with 3 Comments -->

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is a somewhat unknown South American grain-like seed.  It is a great alternative to wheat and other grains and can be substituted in many dishes.  High in fiber and a complete protein, its nutritional value far exceeds any traditional grain.

I recently discovered quinoa while attempting to make a tabouli that my gluten-free husband could eat — I was a little skeptical at first, but I now prefer quinoa over the cracked wheat/bulghur in my tabouli. As far as the different varieties of quinoa, I prefer the red.  This salad is potent and energizing and extremely good for you!  For those of you needing to be gluten-free, you won’t have to go without your tabouli anymore.  This healthy and delicious salad takes a bit of prepping, but it is well worth it. Continue reading →

The ultimate Thai Iced Tea recipe

by Nanette on February 11, 2010 in Drinks, Recipes with 2 Comments -->

I found a great recipe for Thai Iced Tea on GroupRecipes.com, thanks to ChefMeow. I’ve adapted it a little and below is what I’ve come up with. It’s all natural, no food dyes or artificial sweeteners and is absolutely delicious (and of course it’s gluten-free). I’ve heard that some people add a pinch of salt, but I’ll leave that up to you. Continue reading →