Recipes for Everyone

One of my friends suggested I add new recipes to the blog that I find Gavin usually eats well that are very healthy. I thought this was a good idea. We could all stand to eat a little more healthy. So I'll share mine, if you'll share your healthy recipes with me! Share away!

These are some I shared with my aunt last week. She has a grand daughter with autism and diet is of huge importance to her condition. All of these recipes are fairly cheap and easy and SUPER healthy. They are all NO MEAT options and have no cheese or dairy(or optional cheese).


Pita Pizzas (Gavin and Shannon love these, they are quick and easy and healthy!)

whole wheat or multi grain pita pockets or pita bread
pureed spinach
tomato sauce
Mozzarella which can also be substituted with other cheeses or toppings olives, pepperoni etc)

Preheat oven to 400*
Spread spinach puree over the pita to within a 1/2 inch of the edge.Spread sauce over the spinach. Lay the cheese or other coverings over the sauce.
Place pita pizza on foil lined baking sheet and bake for about 5-10 min. Let the pizza cool for 5 min before serving.




Black Bean and Spinach Burrito (healthy non-meat option, quick, and sometimes I leave out the mushrooms and scallions if I don't have them, though their nutritional benefit is great!)
1 onion finely shopped
1/2 lb mushrooms finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb spinach washed well and spun dry
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup water
1 cup canned black beans rinsed well and drained (the kind in the bag are better for you if you have the time to soak them)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 scallions finely chopped
3/4 cup cheese (you can leave this out)
salt
1/2 cup canned mild enchilada sauce
flour tortillas

In heavy skillet, cook onion and mushrooms in oil over moderate heat, stirring until golden. Add spinach and garlic and cook stirring until spinach is wilted about 30 sec. Stir in water, beans, lemon juice, scallions, cheese, salt to taste, and cook stirring for a few minutes.

In a small saucepan heat the enchilada sauce

Drop into tortilla and eat.





Hummus (the boys love this! easy and makes great substitute to meat product.)

1 can Garbanzo beans(chick peas) drain and rinse first
1/2 Red pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt or sea salt (if possible sea salt is much healthier)
2 tsp crushed garlic

Broil red pepper for 5 to 10 min or until skin is almost black. Flip and cook the inside for 5 min. Blend beans until they are puried. Add olive oil, salt, garlic, and blend red pepper until mixed together. Serve with pita chips, crackers, toast, etc.
You can make your own pita chips with pita bread by just cutting a pita into chip sized bites and broiling for a minute or two!






African Vegie stew (very healthy herbs and spices, makes a lot, and other than cutting vegies pretty easy)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 med onion finely chopped
onion powder to taste
2-3 small carrots sliced
1 stalk celery chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
garlic powder to taste
2 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
15 oz can crushed organic tomatoes
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken or vegie broth
1 medium sweet potato cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup cilantro chopped
5 oz bag of spinach or other greens
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
and chicken or beef if desired (great without meat as well)
You could also add barley which is cheap and super healthy instead of meat or lentils would be good too!

Heat the oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Add onion, carrots celery and saute for few min. until they become soft. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and curry powder. Saute for one minute. Add can of tomates and bay leaf. Cook uncovered for 3 min. Add broth and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 min or until the vegies are cooked. Add the already cooked protein if desired. Stir in cilantro and spinach or other greens until wilted. Find and remove bay leaf. serve over brown rice if you wish! Also great with whole grain bread. (Sometimes Gavin eats it better if I puree it after it's all cooked. Just an idea)





Oatmeal cookies (these taste like banana bread and have NO SUGAR!)
3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 cup raisins
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Mash bananas in mixing bowl. Add oil, vanilla, egg and mix. In separate bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, ginger, raisins, walnuts stir. Add dry mix to banana mix. Drop by tsp onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 20 min. Loosen cookies and let cool on cookie sheet





Minestrone (easy, serves a lot, and again no meat!)
4 cups vegie broth or stock
1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas) drain and rinse
4 cups tomato juice
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp basil
pepper to taste
2 carrots sliced
2 celery stalks chopped
1 onion chopped
2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup mushrooms sliced
2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes undrained
1 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat or whole grain pasta
Also you can add fresh green beans or frozen which are delicious too!

Mix all ingredients except pasta in large crock pot. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until vegies are tender. Stir in pasta. Cook on high setting for 25 min or until pasta is tender.





Lentil soup (again easy, cheap, no meat)
1 1/2 cups washed lentils
6 cups water
1 tbsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 large onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
3 carrots chopped
4 tsp parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
I also add dry barley from the bag and sometimes I vary the vegies to what I have (spinach, celery, etc)

Put washed lentils and water in 3 qt pot. Add cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 min. Saute onion green pepper, carrots and parsley in oil. Add vegie mix to lentils and cook for 15 min. I will sometimes go to a lot less trouble and throw it in a pot all together on medium heat if I don't feel like sauteing the vegies. Just leave out the oil if you do this.