Pizza Fondue For New Year's

Whether you're inviting guests, attending a party, or enjoying the evening alone, fondue is versatile and fun. Just be sure to have plenty of sauce and several trays of dippers.

Raw Marinara Sauce (From Jennifer Cornbleet, Raw Food Made Easy)
1/2 c. chopped tomato
1/2 c. sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 c. red bell pepper
2 Tb. olive oil (optional)
1 Tb. fresh basil, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
dash cayenne, optional

Process in a food processor or high-powered blender until smooth. Serve at room temperature or warm slightly. Makes about 1 cup.

Dippers

Raw bell pepper strips
Roasted red pepper
Olives, green and black
Mushrooms (several varieties)
Tomatoes, fresh and sundried
Pineapple chunks
Zucchini sticks
Pita squares
Artichoke hearts
Grilled eggplant
Grilled tofu (extra firm)
Asparagus spears
Tempeh strips
Rolled collard leaves (use a toothpick to keep them rolled)

To your health and happiness in 2012!
Hailey

Burrito Soup

Creamy and smooth like a roux-based soup, hearty and satisfying, this meal-in-a-bowl is 100% healthy!

2 Tb. water
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 c. sweet peppers, diced
1/4 c. onion, diced
1 c. refried beans (fat-free)
1 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. brown or Mexican rice, cooked
1/2 c. pinto beans, cooked
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt to taste (optional)
1 tomato, cubed
avocado and cilantro for garnish

Saute peppers and onion in water until tender. Stir in refried beans and broth until smooth. Add rice, pinto beans and seasonings. Simmer 3-4 minutes. Toss in tomato and heat through. Serve with avocado and cilantro. Serves 2

To your health and happiness,
Hailey

Taco Salad Delight

Have you tried Happy Herbivore's Chickpea Tacos?  No one will believe this delightful variation is meatless.

In a food processor, coarsely chop 1-2 cups cooked chickpeas until they resemble the texture of cooked ground beef. Transfer to a non-stick frying pan and "dry-fry" until beans are toasty on the outside. Sprinkle with a little water to moisten and season to taste with taco seasoning (recipe below). Then add the special finishing ingredient: 1/4 c. pico de gallo. This will cause the "meat" to clump and make it deliciously flavorful. Spoon onto a bed of leafy greens and garnish with avocado, tomatoes, olives, peppers and more pico de gallo.

Taco Seasoning
2 Tb. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tb. ground cumin
1 tsp. sea salt (optional)
2 tsp. black pepper

To your health and happiness,
Hailey

Zucchini Quick Skillet

Lions and Tigers and Zucchini, oh no! It's zucchini harvest time. Neighbors are hiding, teens are loading their airsoft guns, husbands are pleading, and children are whining, "give me broccoli, give me yams, but please, not the zucchini." Well, this recipe has a spicy kick, so it may not be so awful after all.

Fry as much peeled, sliced zucchini as you have available in a heavy skillet primed with olive or coconut oil. Just as the zucchini turns bright green, toss in some cooked black beans* to warm through. Sprinkle in as much red pepper flakes as you like. The last minute of cooking, add cubed tomatoes. Season to taste Serve with brown rice* if desired.
*To save time, cook a huge pot of beans and another of rice on a day when you're cleaning house or doing laundry. Freeze them in portion-size ziplock bags to be pulled out on demand.

VARIATION: use grated parmesan in place of the beans and Italian seasoning instead of red pepper. Toss with whole grain pasta.

Lemon-Basil Eggplant

I still had eggplant in my frig from last week's co-op basket, so I decided to make a quick skillet before picking up the new basket. Here's my creation:

1 eggplant
1 tomato, cubed
juice of 1/2 lemon
6 basil leaves, snipped into tiny pieces

Saute eggplant in coconut or olive oil until browned on the outside and tender inside. Stir in tomato, and basil. Drizzle with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

To your health and happiness,
Hailey