INGREDIENTS

8 oz. fresh spinach

1 bold NY yellow onion chopped

1 bag frozen shitake mushrooms

1 box veggie broth (I used Emeril’s)

2 tsp. butter

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter. Saute onion. And mushrooms. When tender add spinach. When wilted add broth.

Enjoy immediately. Leftovers taste great a couple of days later.

Aly’s Easter Brunch with Zucchini Fritters
Houston TX
(c) 2013 barefoot photos

Devin made Zucchini Fritters for Easter Brunch 2013 at Aly’s in Houston.

They were a big hit, and I was thrilled when he sent me the recipe with photos.

The pure joy of Zucchini Fritters
Houston TX
(c) 2013 barefoot photos

DIRECTIONS

Tropical Fruit Salad
Bloomington IN
(c) 2013 barefoot photos

Bowl of Tropical Fruit Salad
Bloomington IN
(c) 2013 barefoot photos

Nutritionists tell us over and over again that we don’t eat enough fruit. It is a mainstay of a balanced food plan that should be more prominent in our day-to-day eating.

Here is a delicious fruit salad with a tropical twist (pineapple and mango!) that can become a fairly health-ful dessert with the addition of a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

We enjoy it on Easter now instead of our traditional pineapple upside down cake. Fiber is increased as is our nutritional intake.The taste is lovely with a bit of a bite from the fresh pineapple.

Asparagus Quiche loaded with veggies!
Bloomington IN
(c) 2013 barefoot photos

Asparagus Quiche is a yummy rich treat that works just as well for brunch, lunch or dinner. With the combination of eggs and asparagus, this quiche is a celebration of spring.It’s a superb, light Easter or Equinox meal that’s become a tradition in our house.

INGREDIENTS

1 T butter

Carolyn enjoying leftover quiche on Easter morning
Bloomington IN
(c) 2013 barefoot photos

DIRECTIONS

Enjoy immediately or relish the quiche chilled the next day. Practice gratitude for the lengthening daylight and blooming crocuses.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium potatoes scrubbed and cut into thin slices

1 tsp. olive oil

Saute at medium-high heat just until brown on both sides. Add more oil as necessary to keep from sticking. This step may be skipped, but the frying does bring out a nice flavor in the ‘taters.

Grease a 9 X 13 inch pan. Lay potato slices on the bottom of pan.

Prepare:

2 chopped onions

2 minced cloves of garlic

1 bell pepper chopped

1/2 lb. green beans cut into bite-sized pieces

Add any other vegies of your choice, such as zucchini, carrots, mushrooms.

1 lb. broccoli slaw — may substitute fresh or frozen spinach

Briefly saute in 1 tsp. olive oil with 1 tb. oregano, 2 Tb. parsley, and black pepper to taste.

Take pan of vegies off burner.

Sprinkle the potatoes with 1/2 c, Romano cheese.

Beat 8 eggs with 1/2 c. milk and stir mix into sauteed vegies.

Spread the vegie mix on top of the potatoes.

Bake 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Sprinkle on 12 oz. grated cheddar cheese.

Bake another 10- 20 minutes or until eggs are set.

When Mike and I switched off ice cream years ago, we hooked onto Yogurt Treats to satisfy that longing for cold, creamy, sweet, and delicious.  These are so simple and satisfying. They pack a nutritional punch even in the Lower Calorie version, with the protein, cultures, and calcium of yogurt, the fiber and vitamins of fruit.  We love them.

 #1 Original high energy/ higher calorie version 

One cup yogurt – your choice, vegan or not, fat or not

Handful of nuts – we usually use walnuts. I’ve been known to substitute ¼ cup peanut or other nut  butter

Handful of raisins or dried currants

Tablespoon or two of grated coconut

Tablespoon of sweetener

Directions: Mix all and enjoy.

#2 LOWFATand Lower Calorie version

One cup nonfat yogurt

One cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Less than one tablespoon honey

Directions: Mix all and enjoy without guilt.

Cabbage grows beautifully in Western New York state where I live and eat. If you are driving on I-90 between Westfield NY and Buffalo, you may see a large cabbage farm in the Silver Creek area on the inland side of the highway. For most of our ancestors, cabbage was a staple, and often the only green that was available during the late winter months.

Enjoy this light, yet hearty and delicious soup as the chilly days grow longer, and the  earth begins to thaw. For a vegan version, simply omit the cheese or substitute some ground cashews.

INGREDIENTS

1 TB. (at most) canola oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped, may add more chopped onion or some dehydrated onion pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional…if necessary substitute garlic powder)

1 head cabbage, chopped

1 can white beans (I used cannellini)

Grated white pepper

Seasonings of your choice. I used some Mrs.Dash Italian blend.

½ cup grated asiago cheese, if desired
Add pasta or potatoes for a thicker stew-like soup.

Directions

Heat oil and sauté onions and garlic in a heavy soup pot on medium heat.

Add chopped cabbage, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down if onion begins browning.

When cabbage is nearly all translucent, add beans and the juice they are packed in. If using beans you prepared from dried beans, add water.

Add more water to create a soup-y consistency that you are happy with.

Add pasta or potatoes if you’d like a more hearty meal. When they are cooked through, add ground white pepper and further season to taste.

Sprinkle with cheese, if you’d like and enjoy this satisfying meal.
Tastes great served cold and simply the next day.

Mediterranean Salad
(c) 2012 barefoot photos

HALLOWEEN SALAD

Yoga teaches me to honor my physical self and this Halloween, I am determined NOT to nudge on the Halloween treats.

As I get older, this becomes imperative. I’ve seen first hand how easy it is to gain weight. My metabolism, like everything else about me, has slowed down. AND it now requires extreme VIGILANCE to lose even one pound.

Sooooooooo, proactive measures are necessary to battle the chocolate covered demons waiting for the trick-or-treaters who will arrive begging with bags open.

I created this HUGE Mediterranean Salad to ward off the inevitable urges that would arise. Yes, I know at this point in my life that denying that I am nearly powerless in the face of goodies is not helpful. So, I ate and ENJOYED this lovely, tasty,filling, and healthFULL lunch. Thought I’d share it with you, in case you’re searching for salad inspiration on a ghoulish sort of day.

MEDITERRANEAN SALAD

4 Cups fresh baby spinach, washed

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped finely

3.5 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 to 1 cup of marinated artichoke salad (jarred, I drained off the oil marinade) — for this you can use a mix of chopped marinated olives, tomatoes, and artichokes  according to taste

3 Tablespoons of vinaigrette dressing — I used some bottled, but often make my own.

Odd Pumpkins
Chautauqua County NY
(c) 2012 barefoot photos

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. And enjoy every last morsel or until you feel brimming with vitality.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

(you can use any kind, brown, basmati, fancy wild, sticky white…whatever, I’ve tried most and they all seem to work with this method of long cooking)

1/2 gallon milk

(I prefer organic skim milk. In addition, you can add a can or two of evaporated milk, and/or a can or two of condensed milk, but if you don’t have any around, plain skim milk works too)

Sweetener to taste

(About one cup of homemade apple sauce works really well, if you have it; otherwise you can use honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or another can of condensed milk. I haven’t tried agave yet in the pudding – let me know if it works for you)

Coconut

(Sometimes I use the finely shredded organic coconut, but I almost always use a can or two of nonfat coconut milk)

Currants

(I prefer to use about a half box of currants, but if I don’t have any in the house, I’ll use raisins. Sometimes I add other dried fruit: dates, apricots, papaya, even chopped dried mango bits add interest)

Walnuts

(At least one cup of chopped walnuts. Sometimes I use pistachios; In the past I have also used pecans, or hazelnuts, or any combination of nuts with good effects)

Cinnamon

(You can cook the rice with about six cinnamon sticks or add a tablespoon of ground cinnamon to the pudding as you add the milk and other ingredients.)

Directions:

1. Cook the rice using your favorite method.

2. Add the other ingredients to the rice in a large, heavy-bottom pot.

3. Cook on low for a long time (two hours or longer) until mixture thickens. It will continue to thicken as the rice absorbs the liquid even after it is done cooking.

4. Serve warm or cold. Dress it up with whipped cream or a dollop of yogurt.

As recipes do, this year it morphed into a deeee-lish nut-rich dessert. Those of you who love the original cranberry goodin puddin will find this version less sweet, more cake-like, less gooey, and denser.

INGREDIENTS

2 c. fresh cranberries

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. pecan pieces

1 c. walnuts ground ever so briefly in spice grinder

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. pecan pieces

1 c. brown sugar

 DIRECTIONS

1. Spread cranberries over bottom of greased 8 ” pie plate.

2. Sprinkle with 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. pecan pieces and ground walnuts.

3. Beat egg and add 1/2 c. sugar, then beat well with flour and melted butter.

4. Spoon over cranberry mix in the pie plate.

5. Sprinkle top with about a cup of brown sugar and the 1/4 c. pecan pieces.

6. Bake 325 degree oven for 45 minutes.

7. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.