Spicy Southwestern Citrus Dressing

Citrus and spice--Ooh that's nice.  

This is a take-off on Dr. Esselstyn's 321 Dressing.  321 standing for the amounts of vinegar (3), mustard (2), and liquid sweetener (1).  Some folks switch those numbers around, more sweetener or more mustard.  Whatever floats your boat, right?  My version could be called a 221, or even a 321 minus 1 plus 1/8, but that would be weird.

This recipe features Safeway's Sweet & Spicy Southwestern Style Mustard.  It's sweet and tangy and has a nice little bite.  If you can't find SSSSSM, use your favorite sweet and spicy mustard, or maybe a honey mustard plus some Southwest spice blend.  Just don't yell at me if you have to get out the calculator. 

Kari's Spicy Southwestern Citrus Dressing
(Makes 5 Tablespoons dressing)


2 Tbsp Ponzu Citrus Vinegar
2 Tbsp Safeway Sweet & Spicy Southwestern Style Mustard
1 Tbsp Brown Rice Syrup
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients.

Masa-Chickpea-Brown Rice Crepe with Nutritional Yeast

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I don't know what to call these things, so I'm calling them crepes.  I suppose you can call them tortillas or flatbread or pancakes if you'd rather.  If you like the taste of nutritional yeast and corn tortillas, you might like to try these...things. 


Kari's Masa-Chickpea-Brown Rice Crepe with Nutritional Yeast

(Makes 6 savory crepes)

1/4 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup masa

1/4 cup KAL nutritonal yeast flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

1 cup water

Combine dry ingredients. Add water and stir until smooth.

Heat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Wipe with a bit of oil.

Take 1/4 cup of batter and pour onto hot griddle. Using the back of a spoon,gently spread batter from center out into a thin circle. Cook 1 or 2 minutes until top dries. Flip and cook another 1 or two minutes. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter. Use more oil as needed.

Serve as you would a savory crepe/pancake or tortilla or flatbread. Good plain, or filled, or sprinkled with hot sauce.

Nutritional Information per crepe (not including any oil used in cooking): 75 calories, 3g protein, 14g carb., 0 fat, 2g fiber. High in B vitamins.

Cajun Cabbage and Blackeye Pea Stew

Kari's Cajun Cabbage and Blackeye Pea Stew (Makes 8 cups)

1/4 cup White Whole Wheat flour

1 large onion, diced ( 1 1/2 cups)

1 green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

2 ribs celery, sliced thin (1 cup)

3 small tomatoes, chopped (3/4 cup)

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium cabbage, chopped (8 cups)

4 cups water

1 vegetable bouillon cube*

1 (15.5 ounce) can Blackeye Peas, rinsed and drained

Spices:

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp dry thyme

2 tsp parsley flakes

1/2 tsp dry basil

1/2 tsp dry oregano

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp ground cumin

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the flour, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes until it's light brown in color. Don't let it burn. Remove from pan and set aside.

Combine spices in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large heavy pot sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion, bell pepper and celery over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add water by tablespoon as needed to prevent burning.

Add tomatoes. Cook and stir 2 or 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute or two.

Add flour and spices. Cook and stir 2 minutes.

Gradually add 2 cups of the water, stirring to make a gravy. Then add remaining 2 cups water and vegetable bouillon. Turn heat to high and bring to boil.

Add cabbage, then add blackeye peas. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring midway through.

Serve plain or with rice or another grain or with potatoes or cornbread.

Note: You might like to add additional vegetables such as kernal corn, okra, green beans or zucchini to your stew. For a spicier stew, increase the amount of cayenne or sprinkle your serving with hot sauce.

*You could substitute vegetable broth/stock for the water and eliminate the bouillon cube, if desired.

Nutrition (per 1 cup): 103 calories, 1g fat, 20g carb., 5g protein, 5.7g fiber, 636mg sodium

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Banana-Peanut Oat Bars

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Kari's Banana-Peanut Oat Bars (Makes 30 bars)

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour (process 1 cup oats to flour in blender/food processor)

1 cup White Whole Wheat flour

1/4 cup partially defatted peanut flour (Trader Joe's brand)

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

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Wet Ingredients:

1 cup plain soy yogurt (I used Wildwood Probiotic Soyogurt)

4 medium (ripe) bananas

7 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp flaxmeal

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla

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1/2 cup chocolate chips

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Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Set aside.

Add wet ingredients to blender and blend smooth. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and blend with electric mixture, or by hand, until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 28 minutes.

Remove from oven, and while still warm sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let chips melt, then spread evenly over surface with the back of a spoon. Let cool and cut into bars. Makes 30 bars.

Note: You may want to chill the pan in the fridge to set the chocolate on top.

Thai Papaya Salad

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Kari's Papaya Salad

1 pound shredded green papaya*
1 carrot, shredded
1-3 Tbsp minced cilantro or basil (I like a combination of cilantro and Thai basil)
roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
Dressing:
a couple pinches Thai chili flakes or fresh chiles or chile paste (to taste)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp brown sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

In a large bowl, combine papaya, carrot, cilantro/basil . Pour dressing over and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts, if desired. Chill.

*Green (unripened) papaya is often available in pre-shredded packages in Oriental markets. I buy it in 1-pound packages. Alternatively, you can buy an unripe papaya and shred it yourself. You'll want to shred it into long threads.

Hominy Salad Escabeche

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Escabeche is a pickling liquid. In this recipe, I used La Costena brand Zanahorias en Escabeche. Pickled carrots with jalapenos. I used 1/2 cup of the carrots and jalepenos in this recipe. You could use more to up the heat. Use more escabeche liquid for a wetter salad. Sweet onions are best for this, but if you don't have sweet onions and use other (stronger) onions, I'd rinse them in cold water and drain well before adding to salad to prevent them from taking over. You also might want to reduce the amount.

This is tasty plain as a side dish or on top of salad greens. It's also good wrapped in a tortilla.

Kari's Hominy Salad Escabeche

(Makes 6 cups)

1 1/2 cups sweet onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 cup carrots and chiles, julienned, from zanahorias en escabeche (use more, if desired)

1 (15.5 oz) can yellow hominy, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup minced cilantro

1 Tbsp escabeche liquid (use more if you want a wetter salad)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

fresh ground black pepper 　

Combine all ingredients and chill.

Green Cider Smoothie

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It's that time of year again. Cider time! I've recently started drinking green smoothies, and it seemed like a good way to use some of that gigantic jug of cider I got at Sam's Club. This is a tasty smoothie, and no, it doesn't taste like spinach. It tastes like creamy cinnamon-spiced sweet apple cider. Mmmmmm. It's filling, too. Give it a whirl.

Kari's Green Cider Smoothie
Makes 2 cups
　
1 cup apple cider (100%, not from concentrate)
2 cups raw spinach
1 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 medium frozen banana

In blender, combine cider and spinach and blend. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Pour into tall glass.
　
Per 2-cup smoothie:

272 calories, 3 g fat, 109 mg sodium, 62 g total carb., 7 g fiber, 45 g sugars, 5 g protein

114% vitamin A, 51% vitamin C, 9% calcium, 15% iron (percent Daily Values based on 2000 calorie diet)