Fiesta Salad

2 cups Cooked and drained pinto beans               1 cup broccoli florets
1 small red pepper, diced                                    1/4 cup diced green onions
2 Teaspoons finely chopped cilantro                     1/2 cup Italian Dressing
1 Bunch spinach                                                1/4 cup toasted cashews or almonds
I cup grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Rinse and drain beans. Steam broccoli for 2 minutes and combine with beans, bell peppers, onion, cilantro, and dressing.  Chili. add spinach and nuts to vegetable and bean mixture.. Toss prior to serving.  Top with cheese.

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

From The Teenage Taste (http://teenagetaste.com/2012/04/07/cilantro-lime-ranch-dressing/)

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup light mayo
• ¾ cup greek yogurt (I used fat-free.)
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice  (about ½ a lime)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 small bunch (~1/3 cup, packed) cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Check consistency and blend an additional 30 seconds, if desired.  Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.  Leftovers will keep 2-3 weeks.

Yield:  ~1 ½ cups dressing

Japanese Salad

2 cups cooked chicken
2 Tbsp toasted almonds
1/2 head cabbage, shredded (I used a bag of already shredded cabbage)
2 green onions
2 packages Ramen noodles, crushed
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Mix together and pour dressing over top.


Dressing
2 Ramen Seasoning packets
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 Tbsp vinegar
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Mix together in container with a tight fitting lid.  Pour over cabbage mixture.  Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

From the Kitchen of Alesha Whitney

Ingredients

2 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh corn, cooked, cooled and kernels cut off the cob
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced shallots (you'll need one medium shallot)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest the limes before juicing them)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish
2 Hass avocados, diced

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a few sprigs of freshly chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Green Smoothie

This smoothie is so customizable. There really is not much to it. Add your choice of fruits, liquids, and optional protein, then put a couple of handfuls of raw spinach into a blender. Blend for about 2 minutes, then pour into a glass and enjoy. It's that easy!


Fruit examples:
Frozen Mixed Berries
Bananas and Strawberries
Mangoes and pineapple
Melons, grapes, and strawberries

Liquid examples:
Milk
Orange Juice
Pineapple Juice
Water

Protein examples:
Yogurt
Greek Yogurt
Protein Powder
Peanut butter

If you use Mixed Berries in your drink, don't be surprise if your end result looks like this:

It still tastes really good.

Fritatta

1 cup chicken sausage (any flavor) sliced (can use any type sausage you want to.
1/4 cup chopped green onion
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (can use any type cheese)
vegetables: I used spinach, zucchini, mushrooms. You can use any veggies you need to use up or that your family likes.
4 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs, cheese, milk,onion, salt and pepper, and sour cream together in a bowl. Heat the oil in a nonstick, ovenproof skillet. Add the veggies and saute until the veggies are softened a bit and coated with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium, pour in the egg mixture and stir quickly to combine. Cook until the eggs are set around the edges, around 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are set, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Deena Callahan

Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Brownies

•1 box of Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Brownie mix
•1/2 cup to 1/2 cup and 1TBS canned pumpkin (instead of oil)
•2 eggs
•water as directed
•semi sweet and white chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup all together)
•2 tsp vanilla extract
•1/2 tsp almond extract
•chopped pecans (optional)
•pumpkin pie spices (1-2 tsp)
•1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)

Preheat oven as directed on package. Mix ingredients as directed on package, substituting the pumpkin instead of oil. Add chocolate chips toward the end (nuts, too, if you like). Add some pumpkin pie spice and mix. Put in greased pan (I recommend 13x9 in.). Sprinkle some more pumpkin pie spice (and sea salt if you like) to top of batter in pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm and toothpick comes out clean. (It took 50 minutes to fully bake. The reason, I think, is because the pumpkin made it much more moist.) This came out very spongey, like a bread pudding. It also shrunk away from the pan and was very easy to remove. Hope you enjoy!

Mini Sweet Potato Muffins

Recipe submitted by Erin Callahan

From the Taste of Home Fall magazine

2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup canola oil (*I substituted 1 cup apple sauce for the oil)
2 cups cold mashed sweet potatoes (without added butter or milk)
*I cut up the sweet potatoes, put them in a steamer bag, and steamed them for the time indicated on the bag. I them poured the cooked potatoes in a bowl and mashed them. It was a lot easier and faster than boiling the potatoes.

GLAZE:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp. plus 1-1/2 tsp milk
1-1/2 tsp butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk the egg, sweet potatoes and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375F for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over warm muffins.

Cauliflower Broccoli Bake

Recipe originally submitted by Jenae Montoya

• 1 lbs Cauliflower
• 1 lbs Broccoli
• 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
• Mustard (optional)
• butter
• salt & pepper to taste

Butter the bottom of your 13x9 baking dish. Put single layer of cut & deleafed broccoli & cauliflower in baking dish. Put more butter on top of veggies. Salt & pepper the veggies, then squeeze minimal amount of mustard on top (optional). Cover top with foil so it doesn't burn. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese evenly over top cooked vegetables. Serve as side to favorite meat, and enjoy!

Pumpkin Trifle

Recipe originally submitted by Priscilla Bingham

Bake a package of spice cake according to directions. Let cool completely. Prepare one big box of vanilla pudding mix. Stir into the pudding 1 small can of pumpkin pie filling, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice. Crumble 1/2 of the cooled cake into a large glass bowl. Layer on half of the pudding mixture, followed by a layer of whipped cream. repeat with the remaining ingredients and top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Zucchini Brownies

Recipe originally submitted by Karalee Merrill

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe originally submitted by Karalee Merrill

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts


In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.

PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Recipe originally submitted by Anne Ivie

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (can use all white flour if you don’t have this)
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
freshly ground nutmeg, to taste (optional)
1 pinch ginger (optional)
2 whole large eggs
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated, unpeeled Zucchini
1 20oz.can crushed pineapple in juice, drained. Reserve juice.

FROSTING

2 Tablespoons butter, softened
8 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened. (can use full fat cream cheese)
2 cups powdered sugar, approx.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Splash of milk or pineapple juice, if necessary
chopped walnuts or pecans, if necessary


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl: stir well with a wire whisk. Combine oil, eggs and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of pineapple juice.

Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for about 33-3a5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl, Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Notes: If your zucchini is huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it's not too too watery. Also, I spread it out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. Then I measure it out 2 cups. Not sure if this is critical, though Nuts can be added to the cake batter, if necessary this recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting. This recipe can be turned into a carrot cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.

Tomato and Red Bell Pepper Soup

Originally Submitted by Kelli Callahan

2 large red bell peppers (or jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 ½ cups fresh vegetable or chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 – 14 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper

If using fresh bell peppers, halve and seed the bell peppers, arrange them on the broiler rack and cook, turning occasionally, for 8 – 10 minutes until softened and charred. Leave to cool slightly, then carefully peel off the charred skin. Chop the bell pepper flesh and place in a large saucepan. Mix in the onion, celery and garlic. Add the stock and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the tomatoes and transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender). Process for a few seconds until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Season with the salt and pepper to taste and heat for 3 –4 minutes until piping hot. (Calories per serving: 93. Serves 4)

Sweet Veggie Dip

Submitter unknown

1 can black eyed peas

Marinade:
1 cup super sweet white corn
¾ cup sugar
1 large green pepper, diced
½ cup cider vinegar
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup vegetable oil
1 jar diced pimentos
1 T. Teriyaki Sauce

Drain Peas. Combine peas, corn, green pepper, onion and pimentos in a bowl. Mix the marinade and pour it over the vegetables. Put in the fridge for at least one hour. Dain and serve with Tostitos Scoops chips.

Tex-Mex Chicken, Corn and Black Bean Salad

Originally submitted by Deena Callahan

½ pound cooked chicken breast, cut in thin strips
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz) box frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 (11 ounce) jar salsa
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 large lettuce leaves
12 tortilla chips, crumbled

Combine the chicken, beans, corn tomato, onion, salsa, vinegar, and cilantro. Let stand at least 15 minutes. Put 2 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates. Top with the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with the tortilla chips.

Sweet Potatoes

-Kathie Rutherford (originally Carol Edgel)

3 small cans sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1 stick butter
¼ c. Evaporated milk or skim milk
¾-1 c. Sugar
2 Tb. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Mash sweet potatoes and then whip with a hand mixer. Add other ingredients and mix together. Place in 9 x 11 inch sprayed baking dish or pan. Sprinkle topping over top and bake 350 for 30-40 minutes.


TOPPING:
1 stick butter melted
1 c. Brown sugar
1 c. Whole wheat or white flour
1 c. Chopped pecans
½ c. Coconut
½ c. Oatmeal

Mix together and sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.

Roasted Vegetables

-Carly Paulsen

2 cups chopped vegetables
(I've tried squash, sweet potato, yams, yellow onions, turnips, carrots,
Green beans and cauliflower -- or try a combination of several different kinds
Our favorite is yams and squash)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
1 Tbsp. sugar, maple syrup or Splenda

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425º. Coat a baking sheet or 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray. Toss vegetables in a large bowl with oil. Add sugar, salt and spices. Toss until well distributed. Transfer to Baking Sheet making sure there is only one layer of veggies. Bake in oven 20 min. Stir, flip vegetables, and cook another 10 minutes.

Warm Caramelized Vegetables

- Erin Callahan

2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, if desired

Heat 1 inch water to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Add potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook about 12 minutes or until tender; drain and set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, heat 1 inch water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan. Add asparagus. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.

While vegetables are cooking, melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions in butter about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour onion mixture over potatoes and asparagus; stir until coated. Sprinkle with pepper.