These maple pecans are subtly sweet and spiced. They are great plain or in salads or granola! Maybe even a little dark chocolate.....

Ingredients:

1 pound of pecans
3 T. grass fed butter or coconut oil
1/4 c. real maple syrup
1 T. coconut sugar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Melt ingredients together except the pecans. Toss the pecans in the mixture and spread on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, turning frequently until golden. let cool and keep in the fridge for a week or a couple months in the freezer. 

This soup is super hearty and full of protein. Lentils are inexpensive and loaded with nutrients. They are a common ingredient in our home. Lentil soup can take on so many flavors; I love this one with a little smokey bacon flavor that is a hit with my boys! Anything bacon is a win with them. 

Ingredients:

6 strips bacon or bacon crumbles (can omit for vegetarian)
2 T. olive oil
1 large onion
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch half moons
3 cloves minced garlic
2 T. tomato paste
1 1 /2 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
32 oz. chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
Kale, broccoli leaves, collards, etc. 

Directions:

In a large pot, add olive oil and heat on medium high heat. Add the carrots and onions and cook till softened. Stir in garlic and cook about 30 seconds longer. Add in tomato paste and stir to combine. 

Add the lentils, thyme, broth and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Add in bacon and shredded greens and heat through until greens are wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Add more water if it is too thick. 

For the pressure cooker:

Saute the onions and carrots in the pressure cooker in some oil for a minute to release flavors. Add the remaining ingredients except for the bacon and greens. Pressure on high for 12 minutes. Release pressure and add more time if lentils are not tender. Add greens and bacon and Let simmer a couple minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste. Add more water if it is too thick. 

This soup tastes creamy without the cream! It has very basic ingredients with lots of flavor. It's one of my favorites to use up my garden broccoli. 

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cups potatoes, in half inch pieces
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 large head of broccoli, cut into flowerets
Turmeric, salt, pepper
Optional: thick coconut milk, nutritional yeast, Smokey Turmeric by
Spice Hunters. 

Directions:

Cook the onion, garlic, celery and carrots in some oil for about 5 minutes. Add broth,  potatoes, broccoli and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until tender.  When veggies are tender, use a hand mixer wand and puree till thickened with some chunks remaining. I use a hand wand but a blender is fine also, just put half the soup in to keep some chunks. I use the Spice Hunter Smokey Turmeric but you can add some plain turmeric as well, about 1 tsp. if desired. Salt and pepper to taste. Add in some thick coconut milk as desired and a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast for the cheese effect. 

For the pressure cooker method: Add all veggies, including the broccoli to the broth. Bring pressure to high and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Quick release and then use a hand wand to puree veggies leaving chunks. Broccoli will mostly be on top so puree from the bottom to keep broccoli in chunks. You can also just put half in the blender. Season as per stove top directions. 

If soup is thin, bring to a boil, stirring constantly before almond milk is added and reduce liquid. It will thicken upon standing as well. 

This is a chunky salsa that goes great with chips or in a bowl! It's one of our favorites for sure!

Ingredients:

1 can sweet corn or 2 cups frozen sweet white corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
1/2 red onion, chopped (or white)
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 avocados, cut in chunks

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon juiced or 2 small limes
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 T. avocado oil

Directions:

Mix the dressing and pour it over the salsa ingredients. I add the avocado just before serving. 

This dish is very adaptable to how creative you want to get! You can certainly do this in a rice cooker or stove top as well but the texture will be a little different. You can omit the fennel for a slightly different taste or add additional veggies. I used brown rice which takes much longer to bake but white rice will be done in a jiffy! The Ras el Hanout seasoning is so worth making to use on other dishes. I think it will be a favorite on roasted sweet potatoes and black beans! 

​

Ras el Hanout spice mix:

I simplified this a little without sacrificing flavor for you all. You can use this in many
Moroccan dishes.

1 t. turmeric
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. sea salt
3/4 t. ground pepper
1/2 t. cinnamon
1  t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cayenne
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. ground cloves
3/4 t. smoked paprika
1 t. ginger
1 t. nutmeg

Moroccan Baked Rice with Sweet Potatoes:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 c. Avocado, coconut or olive oil
salt and pepper
1 fennel bulb, stalks removed, bulbs halved, cored and chopped
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups long-grain white or long grain brown rice, rinsed
4 garlic cloves
2 t. Ras el Hanout seasoning
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 T. minced fresh cilantro
lime wedges

Directions:

Toss cubed sweet potatoes in oil and bake in a single later in a 425 degree oven until tender and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes. While these are cooking, prepare the rice:

Heat 2 T. oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped fennel and onion and cook about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in rice, garlic and seasoning. Cook, stirring constantly until the edges of the rice are clear. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and put in the oven for about 15 minutes for white or about 45 for brown. You may have to add more liquid. Remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes. Toss in potatoes and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. If using a rice or pressure cooker, sauté veggies and rice first in oil then add the broth before cooking. 

**Recipe adapted from the The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook 

This soup is bursting with gingery coconut flavor! It is simple and hearty and just perfect for a cool night. Lentils give you a great helping of protein totally planted based. The coconut milk makes this so deliciously creamy without any dairy! ​

Ingredients:

1 T. coconut oil
1/2 chopped onion
3 stalks, celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 T. fresh grated ginger
1 can coconut milk
2 cans chicken or vegetable broth (fill up the coconut milk can twice)
12 oz. dry red lentils, washed and sorted
3 T. coconut aminos or Bragg's liquid aminos
juice of 1-2 limes or 1/2 lemon if in a pinch!
salt and pepper to taste
chopped cilantro and smoked paprika for garnish

Directions:

Sauté all veggies and fresh ginger in the coconut oil in a pot for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the lime juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 40  minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Top with cilantro and smoked paprika if desired.