Bev's Recipe Collection

Butternut squash adds a sweet twist to this classic Mediterranean dip.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pureed cooked butternut squash*
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 Tbs tahini (optional)
• 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Serve fresh or refrigerate. If the hummus gets dry, you can drizzle olive oil over the hummus to moisten it. Serve with bread (preferably pita bread or flat bread).

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of hummus

*Here is a helpful tutorial on how to peel, cut, and cook butternut squash. (I like to drizzle olive oil over the chopped squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper and mix it with my hands before cooking.) The cooked squash can easily be pureed in a food processor. You will only need a small amount of it for this recipe, so feel free to experiment with the rest of the squash or serve it as a side dish.

From Blog of Joy

• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 T coconut oil
• 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 T ground cumin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz. frozen spinach (If possible, thaw overnight)
• 2 C hot water (to thaw the spinach)
• 3 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 C quinoa, rinsed
• 4 large carrots, grated (2 1/4 C)
• 8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded or sliced
• 6 large red bell peppers, cut in chunks

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in spinach, hot water, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa, and carrots. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Place pepper slices in the bottom of two 13×9 pans. Spoon quinoa mixture over peppers. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Layer with cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Adapted from vegetariantimes.com

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon* (about 1 Tbs)
juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup honey granules (or sugar)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp lemon extract (or 2 more tsp of lemon zest)
2 eggs

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, buttermilk, honey granules, coconut oil, lemon extract, and eggs; beat well. Blend in the flour mixture until combined. Place muffin liners in 10 muffin cups, and pour the batter evenly into the cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool a few minute before removing from tin. Serve warm (these taste incredible warm), or cool on wire racks.

*You can get the zest from the lemon by scraping it against a cheese grater. But make sure that you do this before juicing the lemon!

This is Joy’s recipe

8 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, chopped in half
1/2 cup pecans, broken into quarters
1/2 tsp salt
4 t cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup honey

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, warm the coconut oil, honey, and spices. Pour over the oats in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the nuts. Spread the granola evenly on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 330 degrees, stirring every 5 minutes until golden brown (15 minutes total). Be careful not to over-bake; it will crisp as it cools. Store in an airtight container.

1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard (Dijon or other)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well-mixed. Or, place ingredients into dressing bottle/jar, seal with a tight-fitting lid, and shake to combine. Serve with your favorite lettuce greens, or use as a dipping sauce for chicken.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

From www.tammysrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or agave nectar)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 3/4 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped

 Directions:

1. With electric beaters, beat together the coconut oil and almond butter.
2. Sift in the cocoa powder and beat again until combined.
3. Pour in the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth (this will take a few minutes).
4. Stir in the walnuts.
5. Line a loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Scoop the chocolate mixture into the pan and spread out until even. I took another handful of walnuts, broke them up, and sprinkled over the top of the fudge for extra crunch and good looks.
6. Freeze uncovered for about 1 hour, or until solid. Slice into small squares and eat! Store in freezer.

makes 24 small squares

From www.ohsheglows.com

This flavorful nut butter combines almonds, pecans, and walnuts. It’s great served with apples or topped with jelly on a slice of bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions:

1. Place the nuts on a tray and toast at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes.
2. Place the nuts in a food processor and blend until it becomes butter (5-6 minutes), scraping down the sides as necessary.
3. Add salt to taste and blend.
4. Refrigerate or store at room temperature.

makes 1 cup of nut butter

From www.blogofjoy.com

Cookie Dough:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (or 1 stick of butter)
• 1/2 cup honey granules (or sugar)
• 1/4 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (could try almond flour)
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup flaked unsweetened coconut

With a mixer, cream the coconut oil, honey granules, sucanat, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, flax seed, baking soda, and salt. Gradually blend the flour mixture into the wet mixture until combined. Mix in the coconut. Drop cookie dough by heaping teaspoons onto baking sheets. Make sure to place the cookies about 2″ apart, since they will spread quite a bit while baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden. Let the cookies stay on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Chocolate Drizzle: 

• 1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• 1 Tbs coconut oil

Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan on low heat, stirring until smooth. Arrange the cookies on a tray and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies. Place the tray in the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate hardens. Once hardened, store the cookies in a container in the refrigerator so that the chocolate stays firm.

Chocolate Coating: (For a thicker topping)

• 3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Place a small dollop of chocolate in the center of each cookie and spread into a circle in the middle of the cookie. Arrange cookies on a tray and place in the freezer for a few minutes until chocolate is hardened. Store in a container at room temperature.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies

From www.blogofjoy.com

Salad:

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 4 cups roughly chopped cabbage
• 3 cups shredded carrots
• 3 cups shredded papaya
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 5 green onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1 cup chopped peanuts

Dressing:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
• 2 Tbs lime juice
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Combine the salad ingredients except for the chopped peanuts in a large bowl.Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve fresh or chilled.

Adapted from www.pinchofyum.com

• 1 1/2 avocado
• 3 T pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract (Omit if using vanilla almond milk.)
• scant 1/4 t salt
• 2 C almond milk (or what fits in my Ninja)
• 4 ice cubes (or what fits in my Ninja)

Combine all ingredients in a blender until completely smooth, then serve. Serves 3

Adapted from www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com