Stir Fried Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 lb green beans, diced into inch long pieces
• 4 strips bacon, sliced into quarter inch strips
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pan, cook bacon until crispy .
2. Add shallots and cook until brown.
3. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add green beans and mushrooms, cook until mushrooms are tender.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Spiced Coconut Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, squashed
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp curry
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pan, add onion and brown.
2. Add garlic and squash and roast until squash is caramelized.
3. Add coconut milk and water, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
4. Transfer to blender, puree (might need to do so in parts).
5. Season to taste.

White Bean and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 can white beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
• 8 cups water
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and brown.
2. Add garlic, carrots, and celery and saute for a few minutes.
3. Add rice and water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until carrots are almost tender.
4. Add kale and simmer a few minutes, until wilted.
5. Season to taste.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 onions, sliced
• 8oz mushrooms, assorted, sliced
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds, lay halves, flesh side down, on sheet and bake 40-45 minutes or until you can easily pierce shell with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, saute onion in oil over medium heat until browned.
3. Add mushrooms, cover and let cook until tender.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Scrape squash crosswise to pull strands from shell and top with onion and mushroom mixture to serve.

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp grated, ginger
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 6 or 7 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 can chicken stock
• 2 cans water
• salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium, add onions and let soften until translucent.
2. Add garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add carrots and sweet potato and roast for 5 minutes.
4. Add stock and water, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.
5. Remove from heat and puree in a blender until smooth.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Top with croutons (optional).

Braised Pork Top Loin, Take 2

Ingredients:

3 lb pork top loin

2 tbsp Worcestershire

1 head pressed garlic

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp chipotle pepper

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 green apple, diced

2 cups mixed potatoes, diced

2 pints "light" beer

olive oil

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 250F.  In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, parsley, salt, all peppers and Worcestershire sauce.  Rub loin with mixture.  Coat bottom of brasier with olive oil, set pork with fat side up and cover

2. cook pork for 6 hours in preheated oven

3. remove pork from pan, leaving juices behind, let rest, increase oven temp to 300F

4. in pan with juices, caramelize onions, add other veggies

5. remove fat from pork and slice thinly

6. return pork to pan, pour beer over dish, cover with lid and cook for 1.5 hours

Bacon Avocado Egg Salad

Ingredients:

1 avocado

3 eggs, hard-boiled

3 strips of bacon

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. cut bacon into thin strips and fry until crispy

2. peel and mash avocados

3. coarsely grate eggs

4. mix all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste