Category Archives: Healthy

by sugarbaker | July 6, 2011

Summer Salad Watermelon, Cucumbers, Feta & Arugula

Watermelon, feta and cucumbers with a touch of peppery arugula. Very refreshing during hot summer days. Salad should be served cold. Ice cold watermelon with salty french feta and the crunch of cold cucumbers. Drizzle with lime and extra virgin olive oil. A dash of fresh ground pepper.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup French Feta cheese cut into cube

2 small persian cucumbers sliced

2 cups watermelon cube cut

1 cup baby arugula

1 lime (juice )

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

fresh ground pepper to taste

serves 4

add more of everything if serving over 4

Directions:

Cut the feta into small cubes and set a side.

cut watermelon into small cube size

slice the cucumbers

Place arugula, cucumbers, and watermelon into a bowl

Add lime juice, olive oil in to a small container and mix well adding fresh ground pepper.

Pour over salad. Add feta last. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Enjoy a refreshing summer salad <3

1 Comment

Filed under Healthy, Salads Summer

Tagged as Middle eastern salad with watermelon and feta cheese, Watermelon and feta salad

by sugarbaker | June 1, 2011

Honey Bran Muffins using Post Raisin Bran cereal

These Post Raisin Bran muffins are moist and very flavorful.

Ingredients:
4 cups Post raisins Bran cereal
1 cup apple juice
1 cup soy milk
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup black raisins
1/2 cup carrot shredded
1/2 cup canola oil
5 eggs beaten
1/2 cup dark honey
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup walnuts chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional ingredients:
cranberries
zest of an orange
chopped dates

very moist and fruity

Directions Preheat oven at 375 degrees F Makes 24 Bran Muffins
Prepare greased muffin cup or use foil cupcake cups. The Muffin comes out easy using disposable foil cups.

In a large bowl combine 4 cups post raisins bran, apple juice, soy milk, oil, honey and carrots, mix and set aside
Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt.
Stir and mix well
Beat the eggs and pour into the raisin bran mixture, Mix well than mix in the dry ingredients into the bran mixture.
Mix the raisins, and walnuts in the bran mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups 2/3 full.
Drizzle a little honey on top of the batter mixture . Bake for 20-25 minutes.

drizzle honey on top before baking to give the muffin a nice glaze

When the muffins are done, cool for about 6 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

Serve warm with a dab of butter and wild honey

Vegetarian simple dinner "A Plate of Goodness"

Sometime you are just craving a healthy plate of food with lots of flavor. No meat included. We love Tofu and I should make time to post the many dishes of tofu and vegetables that I love to eat. A vegetarian dinner is a plate of goodness!

Ingredients:
2 cups Red rice from Thailand
4 cups of mushroom broth ( Trader Joe’s )

4 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
1 Tofu container cut in half cubed
1/2 cup vegetable broth or mushroom broth
1 jalapeno diced
3 cloves of garlic
2 cup fresh broccoli florets
2 green onions sliced
1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Pepper sauce

Japanese cucumber salad ( see recipe )

shredded red cabbage and shredded green cabbage
2 teaspoon Flax seeds
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
juice of one orange
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt

Directions.
For rice 2 cups Rice of 4 cups mushroom broth bring to a boil , reduce heat and simmer until done.

In skillet heat at a medium temperature , add the oil, stir fry the broccoli florets add the diced garlic and stir for 2 minutes adding the broth. Add the diced jalapeno and green onions stirring in Trader Joe’s pepper sauce. Done in less than 5 minutes. No salt needed.
Shreds both cabbages and set a side.
Cabbage dressing.
In a small bowl add the juice of the lemon and orange mixing in the extra virgin olive oil. salt. Mix well.
Pour of the cabbage and sprinkle flax seeds ( optional )

Spice Red Lentil Soup Middle Eastern style

A very popular soup in the Middle East and India.

Lentils have been shown to to an excellent source of vitamins and minerals such as Iron, Potassium and Foliate.

Lentil soup was blended in a blender ( photo )

Ingredients
2 cups red lentils washed and soaked for about one hour unless you have the tiny red lentils no soaking required
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion diced
4 cloves of garlic diced
1 1/2 inch ginger diced
3 medium tomatoes diced
2 cartons of Organic Chicken Broth Low sodium 32 Fl. OZ each carton
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 Cayenne pepper ( Chile Cayenne ) add more of you like spicy
1 teaspoon cumin either seeds or ground
1teaspoon paprika
salt & ground black pepper
red chili flakes ( optional )
Garnish with a slice of lemon & cilantro

In a heated skillet add olive oil and onions, Saute the onions until translucent than add the garlic. Stir in all the spices.

Stir fry 2 minutes, set a side. In a medium size soup pot add the chicken broth, lentils, diced tomatoes, ginger and onion mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Simmer 30 ~45 minutes or until tender.
Do not over cook the lentils or you will get mush.
Add salt & pepper to your liking. Add more Cayenne pepper if desire a more spicy soup. If you like a smooth soup, you can blend the soup in a blender.

straight from the pot a texture lentil soup

Enjoy with my Pita chips recipe <3

Best Broccoli Soup made without cream

This soup is delicious and healthy.

Ingredients:
4 cups Broccoli
1 QT (32 Fl oz) of organic chicken stock from Trader Joe’s
4 cloves of garlic
3 shallots chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & pepper according to your taste
1 large lemon sliced
red dry chili pepper flakes (optional)
1 baguette cut into slices
grated cheese
chives

Chop garlic and shallots.
In a hot skillet, add olive oil, garlic and shallots. Stir a few minutes until translucent (do not burn). Set a side.
Using a peeler to peel the skin from the broccoli around all the stems.
Prepare a large saucepan with boiling water than add chopped broccoli. Cook until tender.
Remove the broccoli from the saucepan, drain and place into blender, adding garlic and shallots.
Add 1/3 cup of chicken broth in blender. Blend well until smooth but with some texture.

Transfer broccoli mixture to a large pot and cook for 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. While soup is cooking prepare toasted bread. Slice the baguette into small slices. Top bread slices with any kind of cheese and garnish with chives.
When soup is done, squeeze the juice of half a lemon before serving.

serve with slices of toasted baguette and a slice of fresh lemon.

Top soup with a few slices of the toasted cheese baguette and chives,

Sprinkle chili flakes (optional) for a spicy kick.

Enjoy.

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Filed under Healthy, Soup

Tagged as Best Broccoli soup recipe, Cream-less broccoli soup recipe, Easy to make broccoli soup recipe, No cream added to broccoli soup recipe, Tasty broccoli soup recipe