Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Swiss chard (chopped into thin strips)
• 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1/4 head red cabbage (grated)
• 2 carrots (shaved into strips with peeler)
• 2 T sesame seeds

Dressing:

• 3 T sesame oil
• 4 T soy sauce (tamari, or nama shoyu)
• 4 T rice Vinegar
• 1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger (store it in the freezer and it lasts forever)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 T agave syrup (or dissolve honey in a little warm water)
• Optional: A little grated lemon peel, orange peel, or fresh o.j.

Instructions:

• Toss together all the veggies.
• Mix dressing ingredients together in a jar.
• Pour over salad and top with sesame seeds.
• Let salad marinate for at least one hour.

Ingredients:

• ¼ c. apple cider vinegar
• ¼ c. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ c. chopped scallions, white parts only
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 bunch collard greens, washed
• 1/8 c. olive oil

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Traditional collard greens are made with ham hocks but for those of us that don’t cook with ham hocks, I have come up with a few alternatives.

Ingredients:

• 4 strips thick-sliced bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2” pieces (without nitrates!)
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Several dashes hot sauce
• 1/4 c. apple-cider vinegar
• 2 lbs collard greens, stems removed, sliced into 3” wide strips (can substitute kale or chard)
• 1 c. chicken broth (or water)

Directions:

• Saute bacon and add onions, cooking until onions start to brown.
• Add garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and hot sauce and cook for a few more minutes.
• Add vinegar and simmer until liquid reduces by half, stirring and scrapping bottom of pan.
• Simmer until greens are soft and serve with hot sauce and cooking liquid.

*For vegetarian collard greens, you may substitute soyrizo, a soy alternative to chorizo, for the bacon and add a few dashes of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (omit salt).
**For an even healthier alternative, try raw greens.

Ingredients:

• 3 Large beets
• 4 Cloves garlic
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme (I have used dried)
• 1/4 Cup feta cheese

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel beets, cut in half, and slice into 1/4″ slices.
• Place in a large baking dish with garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes until beets are fork tender.
• Remove from oven, place on serving platter and top with fresh thyme and feta.

Ingredients:

• 2 beets, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and marinate for at least one hour

Caramelizing vegetables completely transforms their flavor and texture. Caramelizing vegetables brings the natural sugars in the veggies to the surface and gives them a sweet, nutty flavor.  It’s so simple…

Ingredients:

• Beets and/or Brussels sprouts
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• Fresh ground pepper
• Fresh herbs

Instructions:

• Slice your beets and/or Brussels sprouts fairly thinly 1/4-1/2 inch.
• Toss them with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar (FYI…2 heavenly varieties are sold at co-op….quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar makes a huge difference) and sugar.  (Adding a little sweetener helps to caramelize the vegetables and bring out their flavor.)
• Roast your vegetables in the oven or in a skillet on the stove. The key is to make sure that you spread out the veggies and don’t stir them too often. They should get nice and brown on the bottom before you stir them.
• Top them with roasted nuts (walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts) and some crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese and gobble them up

Ingredients:

• 2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons
• 1 cup organic coconut milk
• pinch of ground ginger
• pinch of ground cardamom-optional

Directions:

• Blend all ingredients, preferably in a high speed blender, adding ice or additional water to produce desired consistency.

Ever since I quit eating dairy products, I have had periodic cravings for macaroni and cheese.  Fortunately, after stopping my consumption of dairy, I discovered that I didn’t have allergies.  My congestion and my dry eyes went away completely and avoiding dairy is easier now that I know how it makes me feel.  However, I have been on a quest for the perfect substitute for that nurturing, creamy, gooey dish.  Here is my latest version for anyone interested in a healthy substitute.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 16 oz. package pasta  (we use brown rice)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup vegetable broth (or cauliflower water from steaming, add a bay leaf, onion scraps, celery leaves)
• 1/4 t. brown mustard
• 2 T. nutritional yeast (you can find this at a health food store or just leave it out…its also good on popcorn)
• 1 onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4-1/2 t. curry powder
• 2 T. olive oil

Directions:

• Steam the cauliflower for about 20 min. or until soft.  Boil past, drain, rinse, and set aside.
• Sautee 1 onion and garlic in olive oil until soft (if you are in a hurry, just add 1/2 t. of garlic from a jar and skip the onion).
• Put the cauliflower, broth, cashews, mustard, nutritional yeast, onion mixture, curry powder and a little salt and fresh ground pepper into a blender (high speed preferred).  Puree until creamy and pour over pasta and serve.

Voila!…guilt-free macaroni and cheese!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. pomegranate juice
• 2 oz. Absolute Citron vodka
• 1 oz. Cointreau liquor
• Cup of ice
• Splash sparkling water (optional)
• Squeeze of lemon (optional)

Directions:

• Shake and serve in chilled martini glass.
• Add pomegranate seeds to glass as garnish.

Happy Holidays!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 t. (packed) grated lemon peel
• 1 large fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, very thinly sliced
• 1 Fuji apple, halved, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips
• 6 cups trimmed arugula leaves
• 2 mandarin oranges or tangerines, peeled, each cut crosswise into 3 slices
• Pomegranate seeds

Directions:

• Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
• Combine fennel and apple in medium bowl; mix in 3 T.  dressing.
• Place arugula in large bowl.
• Add fennel-apple mixture.
• Toss, adding more dressing to taste.
• Divide salad among 6 plates.
• Garnish each with 1 mandarin orange slice and sprinkle with pomegranate  seeds.