Pumpkin Soup

 This spicy pumpkin soup is a good way to use up all of that pumpkin left over from Halloween.

COOKING TIME: 30 minutes
SERVES: 6

1½ pounds pumpkin (weighed before trimming)
1 leek, washed, trimmed, and sliced into rings
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 qt vegetable stock
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ - 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut the top off the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and strings, peel the shell, and dice the flesh.
Sauté the pumpkin, leek, and potatoes in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and boil the soup for 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
Purée the soup and add spices and lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes You can use leftover jack-o’-lanterns, but the soup will taste noticeably better if made with smaller, more flavorful pumpkins.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Baba Ganouj - Roasted Eggplant Dip

 A classic Middle Eastern dip made of roasted eggplant. Delicious!

COOKING TIME: 1 Hour
SERVES: 4

2 lbs eggplant
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp plain yogurt (optional)

Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, score the face of each half with the knife, and brush each face with olive oil.
Bake or grill: If baking, place eggplant face up on cookie sheet and put on oven preheated to 450. If grilling, place eggplant face down over medium heat.
Cook for 40-50 minutes, until eggplant is black and soft. (Smaller eggplants will take less time.) Lay out on the platter to cool.
With a spoon, remove the eggplant flesh from the skin and place in blender or food processor. Discard skin.
Blend/process on low speed for a few seconds, until consistent.
Mix in remaining ingredients, taste, and add more tahini, lemon juice, and/or salt as necessary. Chill for about an hour.
Arrange baba ganouj in a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with vegetables or sprouted grain toast.
Notes: The broiling/grilling step is the key to delicious baba ganouj: it makes the eggplant taste rich and smoky.
Baba ganouj keeps pretty well in the fridge, except for one thing: the garlic gets stronger with each passing day. If you’re not planning to eat the baba ganouj right way, you might want to cut down on the amount of garlic for this recipe.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

 (From TheVeggieTable.com)

PREPARATION TIME: 5 – 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 Minutes
MAKES: 2 Cups

1 c home made mayonnaise (link to recipe)
1/3 cup raw parmesan cheese, grated
12 oz artichoke hearts (unmarinated)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp red onion
1 cup roasted red peppers

Preheat oven to 350.
Place everything in the food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Zucchini with Tomatoes

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 4

2 medium zucchini, washed and trimmed
¾ tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, divided
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cut zucchini into quarters lengthwise, then slice each section into thin quarter-rounds. Mix with salt, and let stand about 1 hour. Rinse zucchini in a colander, and pat dry.

Warm 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet, and sauté zucchini in batches over medium-high heat until golden. Remove and set aside zucchini.

Sauté onion in 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add tomatoes, raise heat, and cook a few minutes until liquid is almost all absorbed. Add cooked zucchini, garlic, thyme, and pepper. Sauté about 1 minute more to mix flavors. Don’t overcook zucchini!


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Sautéed Zucchini

 Like all members of the squash family, zucchini is ruined by boiling. Even steaming gives watery results. Instead, sauté slices in butter or olive oil and finish with a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper.

(Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 4

6 medium zucchini, washed and trimmed
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
juice of ½ lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Slice zucchini into thin matchstick-like pieces (or use the small julienne disk of a food processor). Add salt, stir well to mix, and let stand 1 hour.

Rinse zucchini with water in a colander, and squeeze dry in a tea towel.

Melt butter slowly in a heavy skillet over low heat. Raise heat to medium, and sauté zucchini for about 1 minute. Remove to a serving dish, and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Sweet Potato Dollars

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 4

3–4 whole (4-ounce) sweet potatoes
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel potatoes, and slice crosswise into ¼-inch rounds.

Combine butter and olive oil, and brush two cookie sheets with half of this mixture. Arrange the rounds in one layer, then brush tops with the remaining butter–oil mixture. Season lightly with salt. Bake about 45 minutes.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Baked Sweet Potatoes

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 4

4 whole (4-ounce) sweet potatoes
4 tsp butter
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prick each sweet potato in several places with a fork. Bake for 1½ hours, or until soft when pricked with a fork.

Mash the flesh with butter and salt.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Mary Jo’s Spinach

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 6

2 bunches fresh spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp sun-dried tomato flakes (optional)

Steam spinach as described for Wilted Spinach (page 18). Melt butter with garlic, pine nuts, and tomato flakes. Pour over spinach, mix slightly, and serve.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

 This delicious and elegant accompaniment to beef may be prepared in advance.

(Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 8

1 cup steamed spinach
8 large whole fresh white button mushrooms
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1–2 tbsp butter (to grease the dish)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Chop cooked spinach, place in a strainer, and press out liquid.

Wash mushrooms. Remove and finely chop stems; set aside whole mushroom caps.

Sauté mushroom stems with green onions in butter and olive oil until tender. Add the spinach, and cook another minute or so, mixing well, until all moisture has evaporated. Add nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill the hollow of each mushroom cap with a spoonful of stuffing, and place in a buttered ovenproof baking dish. Add ¼ inch of water to the dish, and bake for about 20 minutes.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Wilted Spinach

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 3

1 bunch (~10 oz) whole fresh spinach leaves butter, to taste

Cut stems off spinach and wash well in water—even if prewashed, so that the leaves are moist. Place in a large pot, cover, and heat over a medium flame. (Do not add more water to the pot; the water on the leaves will be sufficient to steam the spinach.)

When spinach begins to simmer, reduce heat to low. Cook several minutes, until leaves are just wilted.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer spinach to a heated serving bowl. Press spinach with the back of the spoon and discard any liquid that accumulates. Make a few cuts through the spinach, and top with a generous pat of butter.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Butternut Squash Puree with Pecans

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 6

3 medium butternut squash
1–2 tbsp butter (to grease the dish)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt to taste
2 tbsp butter, melted
¾ cup raw pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut squash in half; remove and discard seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a buttered ovenproof baking dish with about ½ inch of water. Bake about 1 hour, until tender when pricked with a fork.

After squash is cooked, scoop out flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add eggs and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt. Transfer puree to an ovenproof serving dish. Pour the melted butter over the puree and sprinkle on pecans. Bake for about 30 minutes.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Basic Spaghetti Squash

 Spaghetti squash is tasty low-carbohydrate substitute for pasta.

(Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

1 spaghetti squash (any size)
butter, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash, cut sides down, in a baking pan with about ½ inch of water. Bake for about 1 hour, or until tender when pricked with a fork.

Let squash cool slightly, then remove the strands of flesh, bit by bit, with a fork. Mix in butter, salt, and pepper.

Variation: Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese, pesto, or tomato sauce.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Vegetable Frittata

 A frittata is like a no-flip omelet or a no-crust quiche—a fast egg dish that can be made with any combination of vegetable, meat, and cheese that you can imagine.

(Joseph Mercola, Dr. Mercola’s Total Health Program)

SERVES: 4
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes

2 tbsp butter (or coconut oil)
¾ cup chopped red onion
1 lb mushrooms (or red peppers), sliced
4 cups chopped low-GI vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, artichoke hearts, asparagus, spinach)
2 tbsp minced fresh marjoram
8 medium eggs
¼ cup milk
3 tsp dry mustard (or 2 tsp prepared mustard)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Spike vegetable seasoning (or salt)

Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

Add chopped vegetables and marjoram. Sauté until vegetables turn bright green and begin to soften. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low.

Meanwhile, break eggs into a small bowl. Add milk, mustard, and black pepper. Use a fork to break yolks gently, without whisking (mixture will look marbleized), and pour eggs over vegetables in skillet. Cook over medium heat until eggs are set.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Asparagus with Sesame Seeds

 (Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 6

2½ lb asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil (or melted butter)
2 tbsp minced shallots
2 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1 lemon
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place oil and asparagus in an ovenproof baking dish, and toss asparagus to completely coat with oil. Bake for about 8 minutes, shaking the dish every 2 minutes or so. Add the shallots and sesame seeds, shake the dish again, and bake 1 minute more.

Transfer asparagus to heated serving bowl, and squeeze lemon juice all over. Season to taste with salt.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Garlicky Steamed Stuffed Artichokes

 This dish is messy to eat but delicious.

(Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 4

4 artichokes
½ cup olive oil (or melted butter)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups breadcrumbs (make your own from fresh or stale sprouted whole grain bread)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Remove the artichoke stems and place, stem side down, in a vegetable steamer or a large pot containing about 1 inch of water. Steam, covered, no more than 30 minutes, or until just barely tender. Place artichokes in a colander to drain, stem side up.

Mix olive oil with garlic, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Pull artichoke leaves open a bit, and snip points off leaves with kitchen shears. Press stuffing between leaves.

Return to steamer for another 5–10 minutes.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide

Summer Salad

 This salad is best made several hours before serving. The secret to its success is to cut the vegetables in a fine dice. A food processor makes that task quick and easy.

(Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions)

SERVES: 6

¾ cup Lemon Pepper Dressing (page 7)
1 bunch celery, finely chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and finely chopped
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch radishes, finely chopped
3 tomatoes
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (or chives)

Place the dressing in a large bowl. Add celery, cucumbers, green onions, peppers, and radishes. Toss well with dressing, cover, and refrigerate several hours.

Just before serving, slice the tomatoes thinly, then cut the slices in half. Arrange slices around the outer edge of six plates, and mound some salad in the center of each. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.


Source : The Diet Solution Recipe Guide