Happy Summer Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked orzo (rice shaped pasta), cooled
1 can of corn
1/2 red onion, diced or sliced
1 red pepper, diced,
big bunch of cilantro, chopped

Mix this all together and toss with lemon vinaigrette.

Lemon Vinaigrette
Combine in a bowl:  
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch coarsely-ground black pepper

Banana Applesauce Oat Muffins

1 egg
3 mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup sucanat
1/3 cup natural applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine egg, bananas, sucanat, applesauce and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir the oatmeal into the flour mixture. Gently stir flour mixture into the banana mixture. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and place on a wire rack to let cool before serving.

Spicy black beans with brown rice

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice
4 cups beef broth
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 fresh jalapeno, diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1.  Combine rice and  beef broth.  Bring to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
2.  While the rice is cooking, cut up the veggies
3.  Sauté onion, green pepper and jalapeno in coconut oil until vegetables are tender.  Add cumin and chili powder and stir in until veggies are coated
4.  Add black beans and keep warm while the rice continues to cook
5.  When rice is finished cooking, toss gently with the bean and vegetable mixture, and garnish with cilantro.

Serve this as a side dish with tacos or burritos.  It would also be a delicious lunch just like it is or cut up some cooked chicken breast and mix it in with the rice. 

Egg and Bacon Cups

Ingredients:
6 slices of Canadian bacon
6 eggs

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Put a slice of Canadian bacon down into the cup of a muffin tin. Crack an egg into each piece of bacon. Cook in oven for approximately:
Runny Yolk – 8 minutes
Semi-Soft Yolk- 10 minutes
Hard, Crumbly Egg -14 minutes

Pop the egg “cups” out of the pan once they’re cool enough to handle.

I found the recipe here at Health-Bent.  They are so easy and convenient.  And I think they would be a great addition to any brunch. 

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients:
10-12 medium sweet red bell peppers, halved, seeds discarded
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large sweet carrot, peeled and diced
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh basil
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1.  Preheat the broiler.  Place red peppers cut side down on baking sheet.  Lightly coat the outside of each pepper with the olive oil.  Place baking sheet under the broiler and cook until the skins blacken.  Remove from the broiler and place all peppers in a large bowl immediately.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap. This helps the peppers sweat, which loosens the skins.  Wait until the peppers are cool enough to handle and gently remove the skin from each.  Put skinned peppers in a bowl and set aside.
2.  In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté briefly.  Add herbs, stock, skinned, roasted peppers, and bay leaves.  Simmer until all vegetables are soft.  When ready, remove the bay leaves and purée the soup until it is smooth.  Add vinegar and cayenne pepper.  Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Garnish with a fresh basil leaf and serve immediately. 

Recipe slightly adapted from The Eat -Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

Quinoa Burgers

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

.

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated

1 whole egg and 2 egg whites

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tbsp fresh basil

1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

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In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat.  Add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, basil, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium heat.  Measure 1/4 cup and form into patties about 1/2 inch thick  - mixture will be slightly sticky.  Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.   

Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Per burger:  Calories 132; Protein 8 g; Fat 5 g; NET Carbs 12 g; Sugar 0 g; Sodium 200 mg

Chocolatey Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

1  ripe banana (mashed up with a fork)

2 TBSP natural pb

2/3 cup slow-cook oats

1/2 tsp. baking pwd.

1 scoop chocolate whey protein pwd.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Drop by tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 300 for 10 min.