Coconut Curry Shrimp over Greens

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free
Serves 4 - 5
ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 inch of ginger root, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
2 tsp red curry paste (dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water) - more or less depending on spice preference
1 16 oz can of coconut milk
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 regular potato, chopped (peel if desired)
2 medium carrots, chopped
6 to 8 oz. shrimp, pre-cooked
1/4 cup dried coconut, shredded or chipped
fresh greens
fresh lime for juice (optional)

directions:
1.  In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil till translucent, add ginger, garlic, black and red pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add curry paste, coconut milk and potatoes. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, till potatoes are soft. Then add carrots, simmer for about 10 more minutes (so carrots are still a bit crunchy). Add shrimp and simmer till warm. Add coconut and stir.
3.  Serve over fresh greens. Sprinkle with lime juice if desired.

Tilapia with Chorizo Topping

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free

Serves 2
ingredients:
2 Tilapia fillets
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 T. olive oil

1/8 or 1/4 pound Chorizo sausage, cooked and chopped
(I used a precooked variety of Chorizo, natural with no MSG or nitrates)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (divided in half)
1/8 cup lime juice
6-8 green olives

directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.  Place fish in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and ground pepper then add all other ingredients (only 1/2 of the cilantro) to the top of the fish.
3.  Bake for 10-15 minutes till fish is fully cooked.
4.  Serve with remaining fresh cilantro

Fruit and Granola Crisp

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free


ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 cups homemade granola
5 cups fresh fruit (ex: raspberries, blueberries and rhubarb or apples and pears)
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup cane juice crystals or sucanut (depending on sweetness of fruit and your sweetness liking)
1 T corn starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot

directions:
1.  Mix together: fruit, cinnamon, sweetener, and starch
2.  Spread fruit mixture on the bottom of a pie pan and top with granola
3.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Fruit should bubble and granola lightly browned when done.

5 Day Meal Plan - Mediterranean Taste

When you plan meals for the week consider meals that go well with one another so you can use up ingredients and even use leftovers with the next meal. Below is a sample meal plan with notes for use.

5 Day Meal Plan
Monday - Butternut Squash, Carrot and Apricot Stew
Serve with rice. 1/4 cup uncooked rice per serving.
If you make the whole recipe, you may have leftovers. Use the leftovers for lunch during the week.

Tuesday - Red Lentil Soup and Fresh Veggie Salad
Prepare Garbanzo Beans for Wednesday's dinner (Cook 1 cup of dried garbanzo beans to be used for hummus and Thursday's salad. Dried Bean Cooking Directions.)

Wednesday - Hummus Wraps
If there is leftover Lentil soup it will go well with the wraps. Save about 1/2 of the hummus for Friday's Hummus Pizza.

Thursday - Mediterranean Chicken Salad 
Cook an extra chicken breast and use it shredded up on the Hummus Pizza. Use up your veggies...saving enough to top your hummus pizza on Friday.

Friday - Hummus Pizza
Use leftover chicken from Thursday for a pizza topping. Make sure to start the crust early. It needs to rise for an hour to an hour and a half.

Below is a grocery/ pantry check list for the needed ingredients:
Pantry/ Refrigerator/ Spice Rack  Staples (I usually have these ingredients on hand)

• olive oil

• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• cinnamon
• allspice
• cumin
• crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• saffron (look for it in a spice shop or Trader Joes)
• red lentils (2 1/2 cup)
• rice (1 - 2 cups)
• dried garbanzo beans (1 cup) 

Canned Goods/Dried/Pantry Items

• 1/2 cup dried apricots or prunes
• 8 - 10 oz. can of tomato sauce
• Greek olives*
• tortillas or flat bread (for wraps)
• ready made pizza crust or: 2 T active dry yeast and 2.5 to 3 c. whole wheat flour for making your own crust

Produce

• 1 head or Romain lettuce
• 12 oz spinach
• 3-4 yellow onions (4 if you want onion on your hummus pizza)
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 bag/ bunch of carrots
• 1 lime for fresh juice (or bottled lime juice)
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 lemon
• I zucchini or eggplant
• 1 red bell pepper*

Dairy and Meat

• 2 chicken breasts 
• feta cheese 

* optional ingredients

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

ingredients: specific amounts vary depending on how much salad you want to make
Romain lettuce
spinach
cucumber
tomato
carrots, cleaned and chopped
garbanzo beans, cooked 
Greek olives (if desired)
feta cheese (if desired)
1/2 chicken breast per serving
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
dressing: equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar




directions:
1.  Cut chicken into small pieces. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes till meat is cooked. Add seasonings to meat.
2.  Prepare salad vegetables.
3.  Serve salad with desired amounts of veggies, top each salad with chicken, olives, feta  and dressing

Hummus Wraps

Simple and tasty dinner, not a lot of time in the kitchen.

ingredients:
flour/corn tortillas, or flat bread
hummus (recipe to make your own)
spinach
1 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, sliced or diced
feta cheese (if desired)
greek olives (if desired)

directions:
Spread hummus thinly over tortilla or flat bread, then simply add the other ingredients to make a delicious wrap.

Butternut Squash, Carrot and Apricot Khoresh (Stew)

Inspired by and adapted from: Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen 

"You can crock pot it!"

Serves 6-8
ingredients:
1 T coconut oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 T freshly grated ginger
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup water or broth
1/2 cup soaked red lentils (optional)
6 chicken legs or thighs (optional)
1/2 cup dried apricots (you may substitute prunes and/or whole pitted dates)
4-5 medium carrots, cleaned and chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 tsp saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
garnish with fresh celery tops, cilantro or parsley

directions:
Heat coconut oil in a pan. Saute onions in oil for 5 minutes. Add butternut squash, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg, ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Add chicken and/or lentils, squash, water or broth. Bring to a simmer. (If cooking in crock pot...then add the spice mix, protein, squash and liquid to the crock pot and turn on high. Add remaining ingredients and cook about 4 hours on high till done!)  If not using crock pot continue with instructions:

Add apricots, carrots, lime and saffron. Simmer 30-40 minutes till chicken is cooked, squash is tender and flavors are combined.

Serve with white or brown Basmati rice if desired.