Happy Meatless Monday! Try this delicious quiche. It’s makes a wonderful  light dinner served with a green leafy salad.

Ingredients

1 recipe pie dough

2 Tbs olive oil

2 red yellow onions (about one pound total)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/4 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup half and half

3 large eggs

dash nutmeg

4 1/2 ounces Dubliner cheese, grated

Directions:

Cut the onion in half, then cut the onions into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare your favorite savory pie crust and fit it to the tart pan. Line the uncooked crust with parchment and top with rice or dried beans – at least two thirds of the way full. Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Remove crust from oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

Remove the parchment and discard the beans or rice. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust to release air. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while making filling.

In a large, heavy bottomed saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and saute for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat. Then, reduce to medium low and continue to cook for 20-40 minutes, or until they tender and golden. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 minutes more, until onions are completely caramelized.

Stir in herbs and remove from heat.

Place tart pan on a baking sheet to catch accidental overflows. Spread half of the cheese over the crust, topped by the onions and then the remaining cheese.

In a medium bowl, combine milk, half and half, and eggs. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese and onions. Transfer to oven (with the baking sheet), and bake until just set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Note: You can also use 6-8 individual sized tart pans, about 3-4 inches in diameter. Just cut individual rounds out of the dough that fit your tart pans.

Happy Meatless Monday! This will soon become a favorite!

Ingredients

•    12- 6 inch corn tortillas

•    Olive oil spray

•    3 red peppers, seeded and sliced thin

•    2 onions, sliced thin

•    2 T olive oil

•    6 cloves garlic, minced

•    3 T lime juice

•    4 cups black beans (2 cans)

•    1 T chopped jarred jalapenos plus  1/4 cup brine

•    1 bag broccoli slaw

•    2 cups cooked quinoa

•    2 ounces queso fresco or vegan cheese

•     1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (I now use tofu mayo or non dairy yogurt)

•    2 T fresh cilantro, minced

•    3 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

1.    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2.    Spread tortillas on 2 baking sheets and coat with oil spray on each side.

3.    Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp.

4.    Rotate baking sheets after 4 minutes.

5.    Put 1 T olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat and add onions and peppers.

6.    Cook covered for 10 minutes.

7.    Uncover and increase heat to medium high.

8.    Cook for 6 more minutes.

9.    Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

10.    Remove from heat and stir in 1 T lime juice.

11.    Salt and pepper to taste.

12.    Heat remaining 1 T of olive oil in skillet.

13.    Add beans, jalapenos and 1 T of the brine.

14.    Cook for 5 minutes, mashing beans with the back of your fork or a potato masher.

15.    Toss coleslaw mix with remaining of jalapeno brine.

16.    Season with salt and pepper.

17.    In a small bowl combine yogurt (or vegan alternative), cilantro and garlic.

18.    Spread beans on tortillas, and top with quinoa, vegetables and slaw.

19.    Top with yogurt/mayo mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Quinoa

This is a must have in your recipe file. You can whip it up for friends and, no matter what else you serve, it’ll be the first thing to go.

Serve it with crostini, tortilla chips, or crudités. Or just eat it by the spoonful. It’s that good.

Ingredients
•    1 cup 3/4″-inch pieces asparagus

•    2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•    1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale-green parts only)

•    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•    1 1/4 cups whole milk

•    1 cup grated mild white cheddar

•    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

•    1 14-ounce can chopped artichoke hearts in water, drained

•    1/4 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) peas

•    2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

•    2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

•    2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

•    1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

•    4 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; let cool.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes. Whisk in flour; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly.

Cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened; remove from heat. Add cheddar; whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.

Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Fold in asparagus (reserve tips), artichoke hearts, peas, chives, mint, flat-leaf parsley, zest and 2 ounces crumbled fresh goat cheese.

Transfer mixture to a 4-5-cup baking dish; arrange asparagus tips on top and dot with another 2 ounces goat cheese. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Courtesy of Epicurious

Spring has finally sprung! April is a great month to start entertaining outdoors, not too hot, not too cold and the days are beginning to get longer, providing some lovely long afternoons and evenings perfect for dinner parties and late Sunday lunches.

Sometimes it’s hard to find yummy, seasonal and green offerings that also appeal to those pickiest of food critics-your kids! Here’s a fantastic seasonal recipe your kids will love, and so will your guests.

Both spinach and asparagus are in season in April, along with that most delectable of seafood-crab!

Crab is considered a sustainable seafood choice, since crab fishing is well -managed, and the crab fishing gear used does not capture other species or cause habitat destruction or ecosystem disruption. In particular, Alaskan King Crab, Dungeness crab and Blue crab are all considered to be sustainable and ocean-friendly choices.

This recipe takes advantage of all these seasonal ingredients, while cleverly hiding the spinach and asparagus in that most beloved of children’s dishes-mac and cheese.

Yummy enough for your kids, sophisticated enough for your guests, and healthy enough (with a few clever substitutions) for everyone, this crowd-pleasing recipe is sure to become a favorite.

You will need:

I lb (I box) whole-wheat macaroni of your choice

3 ½ cups 2 % organic milk

4 Tbsp flour

I cup low-fat cottage cheese

2 cups shredded chedder

1 cup shredded gruyer, emental or fontina

1 lb organic spinach

1 bunch organic asparagus

2 tsp olive oil

1 ½ lbs cooked crab meat

1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

salt, pepper, nutmeg

To make:

Cook pasta 6-8 minutes until not quite tender (it will continue to cook while baking). Drain and set aside.

Remove tough ends of asparagus stalks and quickly blanch by dropping in rapidly boiling salted water for about 2 minutes until bright green, then shock by plunging immediately into ice water.  Cut asparagus into bite size pieces.

Also blanch spinach (you can use the same water) for about 30 seconds until bright green then shock in ice water.

Meanwhile, heat 2 ¾ cups of the milk in a saucepan until hot but not boiling (be careful-milk boils over very rapidly!)

Mix the remaining ¼ cup milk with the flour in a separate bowl and whisk until smooth.

Add the milk/flour mixture to the hot milk in the saucepan and whisk until smooth. Cook over low heat 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken. Take sauce off the heat, and stir in the grated cheeses until melted, then add cottage cheese, salt and pepper to taste and a dash of nutmeg.

Mix macaroni, crab meat and asparagus pieces with the cheese sauce.

Spray bottom of large baking dish or individual ramekins with oil, (or you can use oil oil or butter)

Layer half the macaroni into the bottom of the baking dish (or fill ramekins halfway for individual servings)

Spread spinach over the whole top of the macaroni layer, then add remaining macaroni mixture.

Top with breadcrumbs mixed with 2 tsp olive oil or melted butter.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly and brown on top.

Serve with a green salad.

By Sarah Horan

Ingredients

4 organic or regular avocados

1/4 teaspoon salt (season to liking )

1 finely diced jalapeno

1/2 lime

1/4 cup of finely dice red onion

3 tablespoons finely diced fresh cilantro
1/4 finely diced tomato

Directions

1.    Empty the avocados into bowl you and easily mix in

2.    Add salt

3.    Squeeze lime into avocados

4.    Dice and add onion and jalapenos

5.    Dix in finely diced cilantro and tomato

6.    ENJOY!

Roasting brings out a toasty flavor in the asparagus. It’s perfect with medium-set poached eggs so the yolks are still a little runny, but poach your eggs for the full 8 minutes if you prefer hard-set yolks.

INGREDIENTS
•    2 bunches asparagus (about 1 pound each), trimmed

•    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

•    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

•    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
•    Zest of 1 lemon

•    2 tablespoons lemon juice

•    1 tablespoon minced shallot

•    1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

•    4 large eggs

•    1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

•    1 7-ounce bag baby arugula (about 10 cups)

•    1/2 cup thinly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

PREPARATION

1.    Preheat oven to 450°F.

2.    Toss asparagus with 2 teaspoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

3.    Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, shallot and dry mustard in the bowl. Set aside 4 teaspoons of the dressing in a  small bowl. # When the asparagus is done, set aside to cool while you poach the eggs.

4.    When the asparagus is done, set aside to cool while you poach the eggs.

5.    Break each egg into its own small bowl. Fill a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven with 2 inches of water; bring to a boil. Add vinegar. Reduce to a gentle simmer: the water should be steaming and small bubbles should come up from the bottom of the pan.

Submerging the lip of each bowl into the simmering water, gently add the eggs, one at a time. Cook 4 minutes for soft set, 5 minutes for medium set and 8 minutes for hard set.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a clean kitchen towel to drain for a minute.

6.    Toss arugula with the dressing in the large bowl. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Top with asparagus and a poached egg and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the reserved dressing. Garnish with cheese.

Celebrate Meatless Monday’s with this fantastic dish. The quinoa adds protein as well as a chewy texture to this meatless main dish. The heat of the cooked quinoa and mushrooms helps wilt the spinach; the dressing and feta pulls this warm salad together.

Ingredients

•    1/2 cup red-wine vinegar

•    1/3 cup olive oil

•    Coarse salt and ground pepper

•    2 pounds fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved

•    1 1/2 cups quinoa

•    1 pound baby spinach

•    8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1.    Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

2.    On a large rimmed broiler-proof baking sheet, toss mushrooms with half the dressing (reserve the rest); broil, tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

3.    Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine quinoa, 3 cups water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

4.    Place spinach in a large bowl; add hot mushrooms, quinoa, and reserved dressing. Toss to combine (spinach will wilt slightly). Top with crumbled feta, and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note

Do not soak shiitakes in water because they will become spongy. Instead, wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel after trimming away the stems.

This weekend is the Super Bowl and Loaded Baked Potato Skins are a favorite “game food.” Yum!

Loaded Baked Potato Skins- Serves 4-6

6 large russet potatoes, cleaned

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tablespoon Celtic sea salt

4 slices bacon (organic, nitrate-free and pastured preferred), cooked and broken into bits

1 1/2 cups raw cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup green onions or chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat each potato with coconut oil (you can use your hands)  and sprinkle generously with salt.

Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a knife can be inserted without resistance.

Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.

Cut each potato in half length-wise and carefully scoop out the flesh (I usually keep this and use for mashed potatoes or potato cakes the next day).

Sprinkle each potato skin generously with sea salt.  Smear 1 tablespoon of sour cream into each potato skin and top with cheese and bacon.

Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.  Before serving sprinkle with green onion.

Apples are a winter favorite. This yummy recipe is a combination of three varieties of apples which gives it a sweet-tart flavor and great texture. Because it makes seven 1-pint jars, it can make a healthy snack for the entire family for many months to come!

yield: Makes six to seven 1-pint jars

Ingredients

•    2 cups water

•    1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

•    3 pounds Fuji apples or other sweet-crisp apples

•    3 pounds Granny Smith apples or other tart apples

•    3 pounds Jonathan or Rome Beauty apples or other soft-textured apples

•    2 1/4 cups sugar

•    1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

•    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Preparation

Combine 2 cups water and lemon juice in 10- to 12-quart stockpot.

Peel, core, and cut apples into 3/4-inch pieces; mix pieces into lemon water as soon as apples are cut, to prevent browning.

Add sugar, coarse salt, cinnamon, and allspice; stir over medium high heat until sugar dissolves.

Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until apples are soft and almost translucent, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Using potato masher, mash apples to chunky consistency.

Ladle applesauce into hot clean 1-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch space at top of jars. Remove air bubbles.

Wipe jar threads and rims with damp cloth.

Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water 20 minutes.

Cool jars completely. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.

A decidedly tart finish to supper,  this wholesome, in-season, antioxidant-rich dessert can be prepared without additional sweetener, appreciating, instead, the full flavor of local blackberries frozen at their height of ripeness. For those of you who may prefer a little sweetness to balance out the potent, tart flavor of the blackberries, consider adding up to ¼ cup raw wildflower or orchard blossom honey.

Ingredients

•    4 cups whole, frozen blackberries

•    2 to 3 tablespoons filtered water

•    up to ¼ cup raw honey

Instructions

1.    Allow your frozen whole blackberries to thaw for about fifteen to twenty minutes.

After about twenty minutes, combine blackberry, filtered water and honey, if you’re using it, in a food processor. Pulse repeatedly to break up the berries, then process until the sorbet is smooth.

Serve immediately, or, if the blackberry sorbet is too soft, pour it into a container and freeze it for a few hours – stirring periodically to break up any ice crystals that may form.