Lime-Avocado Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
1 ripe avocado
1-2 cloves garlic, diced
~1/4 cup olive oil
fresh cilantro, chopped
juice from 1 lime
1 chipotle chile, softened in hot water, then chopped
1/2 - 1 cup water (depending on desired consistency)
salt, to taste

Throw everything into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Serve over salad of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, scallions, hearts of palm, etc.

Maple Pecan Granola

Ingredients:
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups whole rolled oats
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 300F.

In a large bowl, whisk together maple syrup, oil, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Add oats and pecans and mix well. Spread mixture out in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Bake on center rack for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven temporarily to stir mixture, then bake another 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on waxed paper or parchment.

Spaghetti Squash w/ Roasted Veggies

1 spaghetti squash, halved and cleaned out
2 pints grape tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped
1 can chickpeas (I used cannolini beans), drained and rinsed
3 cloves garlic (or more!), chopped
handful fresh rosemary and thyme, chopped
EVOO
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Place squash cut side down in a 13" x 9" pan filled with 1" water. Place pan on bottom rack of oven. Combine tomatoes, onion, chickpeas, garlic, and herbs on a sheet pan. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Mix with hands. Place on top rack of oven. Bake both squash and vegetables for 1 hour. Remove squash, leaving vegetables in the oven, and let cool for 15 minutes before scraping out. Combine the vegetables and squash and enjoy! :)


You can also add bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, etc. to the veggie mix. Tasty!

Wicked Yummy Granola

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc.)
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, slivered almonds)
1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp vanilla

1 cup dried fruit, optional (raisins, cranberries, blueberries)

Heat oven to 350F. Combine oats, seeds, nuts and salt. Whisk together honey, oil and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients (do not include dried fruit). Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Stir, then bake another 9 minutes. Spread on waxed paper and cool until dry and crunchy. Break into bite-sized pieces and add dried fruit, if desired.

Smoky Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 Medium onion chopped
3 Cloves garlic peeled and smashed
1 Tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
2 - 28 ounce cans whole fire roasted tomatoes
1 - 14.5 ounce can vegetable broth
1 Chipotle chile in adobe sauce chopped
1 Stick butter, softened

Directions:
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth and chipotle. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a blender, puree the soup.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
Three 1 pint containers cherry or grape tomatoes
1 ½ Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Major Grey’s chutney
1 ½ Tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Coarse salt
2 ½ cups Vegetable broth

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 500. In a large baking dish toss the tomatoes with the oil to coat, spread in a single layer. Roast, shaking the pan halfway through, until the tomatoes have burst open and released some juice, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Stir in chutney, lemon juice and salt. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Transfer the puree to a large saucepan and stir in the broth. Warm gently before serving.

Roasted Veggie Salad with Goat Cheese Cakes

Ingredients:
1 Small head cauliflower, florets
¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Bunches asparagus trimmed
1 Red onion sliced into thin rings
½ cup Almonds finely ground
1 - 11 ounce log goat cheese, room temperature, cut into 8 rounds
2 Oranges sliced into 6 rounds each
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450. Place the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss, arrange in a single layer on one side of baking sheet. Place asparagus on opposite side and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter onion on top of asparagus and roast until golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
Place the ground almonds in a shallow bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil onto a plate, coat each goat cheese rounds with oil. Coat the rounds in the nuts to coat and place on baking sheet. Bake 3-4 minutes.
Divide roasted vegetables and the orange rounds among 4 plates. Drizzle each plate with the reserved oil and ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Serve with 2 goat cheese rounds each.