Balsamic Browned Butter Asparagus

Be forewarned--this asparagus is totally addicting!  Our entire family loves this recipe, and we usually have to double the batch so everyone can get their fill!

Balsamic Browned Butter Asparagus
Serves 3-4
Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

1lb. asparagus spears, bottom ends trimmed

Olive oil cooking spray

¼ t. real salt

1/8 t. fresh ground pepper

1 T. butter

1 T. tamari soy sauce

1 t. balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° degrees.  Arrange asparagus on a baking sheet.  Coat the spears with olive oil cooking spray, then sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat and cook about three minutes or until the butter is browned, stirring occasionally.  Add in 1/4 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper. Remove butter from heat and stir in tamari and vinegar.  Drizzle over asparagus, tossing to coat.

Mounds Bars/Almond Joys

(May blessings be heaped upon your head, Ms. Katie at chocolatecoveredkatie.com, whose recipe I have here adapted!)

These healthy mounds/almond joy balls will blow you away!  My family adores them, and I usually end up tripling the batch, as they never seem to last long!  

Mounds Bars/Almond Joys

Makes 12-15 Chocolates
Prep Time: 25 Minutes plus chilling

Ingredients:

1 C. shredded unsweetened coconut (you can buy this at any health food store)

3 T. agave nectar or pure maple syrup

2 T. coconut oil

½ t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

¼ c. dark chocolate (or other chocolate of choice)

¼ c. coconut oil

¼ cup almonds (for the Almond Joy option)—omit if you simply want Mounds balls

Directions:

Combine first five ingredients in a food processor.  (and the almonds, if you are making the Almond Joy version.) If you don’t have a food processor, you can simply pulse the coconut in a high powered blender.  Don’t make it quite into a powder, though—you still want a little texture!  Roll the dough into small, truffle sized balls and freeze for about an hour (if you can keep from eating it all first!).  Meanwhile, melt your coconut oil and dark chocolate over low heat in a saucepan.  Pour into a small bowl or cup.  Once the coconut balls are very cold (or frozen), dip each ball in the melted chocolate/coconut oil mixture and then lay out on wax paper until the chocolate coating hardens.  This process will go more quickly if you put them in the fridge to harden.  Store in the fridge for up to a week. (If they last that long before being eaten, which is not likely!)

Pesto Sauce

There are lots of outstanding pesto sauce recipes online.  This is a marriage of several of them.  This pesto sauce is perfect served on top of some whole grain pasta, and topped with sliced black olives, halved cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkle of freshly ground parmesan cheese.  Also try it used as a sandwich spread!

Pesto Sauce-of-Life!
Makes 2 Cups
Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:
2 c. lightly steamed baby spinach
2 c. fresh basil leaves
2 roma tomatoes
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 c. fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 t. garlic powder
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1 T. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Blend all ingredients into a blender until desired consistency is reached.

Grape Salad

This is another favorite breakfast of my family.  The coconut sugar on top melts into a decadent-tasting caramel-like topping that is to die for!

Grape Salad
Makes 8 Servings
Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 lbs. red or black seedless grapes

1 c. plain Greek yogurt

3 T real maple syrup

1 t. vanilla

1 t. lemon zest (opt.)

3 T coconut sugar

1 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Put grapes into serving bowl or casserole dish of choice.  Combine yogurt, syrup, lemon zest, and vanilla, and pour over grapes, stirring to coat.  Sprinkle coconut sugar on top, followed by the chopped nuts.

Taco Salad

Taco salad is always a favorite in our family and can be easily modified according to your personal tastes and what you have on hand.  Forego the traditional chemical-laden storebought dressings on top, and try one of the tasty and simple variations here!

Taco Salad
Makes 11-12 cups Salad
Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:
One large head romaine lettuce, chopped
3-4 c. crock pot beans (black, pinto, or a combination)*
1/2 c. onion, chopped (sliced green onions may also be used for a milder flavor)
1/2 cup olives, sliced
1 large avocado, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 c. salsa or pico de gallo
1/2 c. plain greek yogurt
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
juice from one lime

Directions:
Lightly toss salad ingredients together. Serve in a taco bowl, or on a plate with a small handful of tortilla (non GMO) or bean and rice chips crushed on top.  Garnish with a sprinkling of shredded
cheese if desired.

*2 cans beans, drained and rinsed may also be substituted, but you will lose a lot of the flavor from the crockpot bean recipe

Quick, Pan Fried Croutons

We love croutons on our salads, but most of the commercial croutons are either made with a bazillion unpronounceable ingredients, or they are rock hard to where I fear for my teeth when I bite them!  These delicious, pan fried croutons are a quick solution to both problems!

Quick, Pan Fried Croutons
Makes 5 cups croutons
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
5 slices whole grain bread of choice, cubed
3 T olive oil
sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Directions:
Place bread cubes in a large, ziplock bag.  Drizzle olive oil over bread, and sprinkle on salt, pepper, and garlic.  Toss until bread is lightly coated with the oil.  Fry in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until bread cubes are toasted, about three minutes.

Mediterranean Salad

I especially love this salad for lunch in the summer when cucumbers and tomatoes are in abundance in my garden or at the farmer's market!

Mediterranean Salad
Makes 7-8 Cups Salad

1 large bunch romaine lettuce

½ cucumber, sliced

½ c. crumbled feta cheese

1 c. halved cherry tomatoes

1 thinly sliced sweet red pepper

½ cup jumbo black olives

Directions:

Mix all in a large salad bowl.  Drizzle with Mediterranean dressing.