Adventures in Cozumel

I cannot tell a lie, life has been very stressful since August and I have had a hard time finding inspiration and time to blog. But after returning from a wonderful 2 weeks in Cozumel and the Mayan Riviera a few days ago after my husband surprised me with tickets, I am eager to post again and hope time will continue to permit. While visiting the gorgeous island of Cozumel, swimming in the turquoise Caribbean waters, shopping for silver jewellry, watching my hubby learn to scuba dive, drinking my fair share of rum and lime margaritas, and eating my way through countless buffets and fun little cantinas we found, I had to post some pictures as well as recipes of yummy (and tweaked by me to be a bit more healthy) foods we had on our vacation. Hope you like them. And here is to a much hoped for less stressful 2010!

Homemade Corn Tortillas

I never really liked corn tortillas until the other day when the sweetest Mayan lady we came across at a little restaurant near the stunning Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza was making them from scratch on a big flat grill. They were so good! Not dry at all. They are made with masa harina which is corn flour that has been treated with calcium hydroxide or "lime" which makes it more nutritious by releasing the niacin in the corn, and easier to digest.

To make 16-18 tortillas, start with putting 2 cups of masa flour in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of very warm water to the masa flour (according to the directions on the package, some brands may call for different amounts of water). Mix in and let sit for 5 minutes or so. Begin working the masa with your hands to make the dough. Work the dough for several minutes. Press the dough with your fingers and the palms of your hands as if you were kneading bread dough. If at any point through the tortilla making process the dough seems too dry or too wet, add a little more water or masa to the dough.
Take a piece of the masa dough and shape it into a ball the size of a plum, or slightly large golf ball. Make about 16-18 balls from the dough. Roll out into a round shape with a rolling pin, as thinly as possible (if you have access to a tortilla press, even better!). Heat a large skillet on high heat. Working one at a time, hold a tortilla in your hand and gently lay the tortilla down on to the skillet. Start working on pressing the next tortilla. Cook the tortilla on the hot pan for 30 seconds to a minute on each side. The tortilla should be lightly toasted and little air pockets forming.
Wrap them in a dish towel to keep them warm. Serve immediately or make enchiladas!

Shrimp and Scallop Enchiladas

1 teaspoon safflower oil

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 (10-ounce) can Enchilada Sauce, divided use

1/4 pound cooked bay shrimp
¼ pound cooked bay scallops

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese, divided (lowfat if you can find it!)
1 finely chopped tomato

Sliced jalapeno peppers—optional
Sliced avocado—optional
Low fat sour cream--optional
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add ¼ cup enchilada sauce, shrimp, scallops, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro. Cook until heated through. Pour remaining enchilada sauce in small skillet; heat until warm. Brush tortillas with enchilada sauce. Spoon 1/4 cup shrimp mixture down center of each tortilla; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. Roll up. Place seam-side down on baking dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in preheated 350º F. oven for 5 to 8 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped tomato. Serve with sour cream, jalapenos and avocado slices.

Chipotle Prawns with Tequila & Lime

Prawns are an extremely good source of protein, yet are very low in fat and calories, making them a healthy choice of food. Although shrimps and prawns have a high cholesterol content, they are low in saturated fat, which is the fat that raises cholesterol levels in the body and is bad for you. For this reason, there is no need to avoid eating shrimps or prawns, as the cholesterol in the food is not the same as the cholesterol in one's blood. They contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids which are good for you and help prevent against heart disease, circulatory diseases and many other types of illnesses. Prawns and shrimps also contains high levels of vitamin B12, zinc, iodine, phosphorous, potassium, selenium and iron and have smaller quantities of calcium, magnesium and sodium. Many of these vitamins are essential for healthy skin, bones and teeth!
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 sweet green pepper, diced
16 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
In a large skillet, add olive oil and melt over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan and cook about 1 minute. Add salt, chile powder, peppers and shrimp to pan - cook for about 2 minutes. Mix in vermouth, juice and sugar. Continue cooking until shrimp are done, about 1 or 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Great served with quinoa and a simple tomato salad

Vodka Peppered Salmon with Tropical Cucumber Salsa

As you may have noticed in past posts, Salmon is one of my very favorites and I try lots of new ways to have it. It took me a while to like it, but now I have to have it at least once a week in some form. I crave it! Thankfully we live in British Columbia where we can buy it fresh all the time!
4 salmon filets

1 cup vodka

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (see recipe post)

1 large shallot, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely diced

Sea salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Tropical Cucumber Salsa

1 mango, diced

1/2 cup fresh pineapple, diced

6 strawberries, diced

½ red onion, finely diced

1 small red pepper finely chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon mild chili powder

1/2 jalapeno pepper diced, seeds and ribs removed

1/2 cup seedless cucumber diced fine

Cilantro, if desired

In a medium sized bowl, mix the mango, pineapple, strawberries, onion, red peppers, jalapeno, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, cilantro, and cucumber together. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Place the salmon on a cookie sheet lined with foil to bake. Sprinkle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Vodka Glaze: Saute the shallot and garlic in 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Add the vodka to deglaze the pan, then add the cumin, salt, pepper, orange juice and pepper jelly. Cook 5 minutes or so until it slightly thickens. Cook salmon on an outdoor grill or in the oven at 400F, brushing continually with the vodka glaze.
Great with Jasmine rice and quick stirfried asparagus!

Introducing....THE ACTIFRY!! And my tempura recipe!

C'mon now, who doesn't love (or at least like) deep fried foods? My favorites would have to be yam fries, battered zucchini, and tempura anything! Something about those crispy tidbits, dunked into a yummy sauce.....Mmmmm! The super generous, kind, wonderful people at TEFAL recently sent me their brand new product "THE ACTIFRY". How nice is that??

Why do I think this is so special?
1 spoonful of oil is enough for 1 kg of tasty, homemade chips, fries, etc! Yup, only 1 spoonful of oil (the little spoon is included) makes a whole mess of yummy, crispy "deep fried" food!

Being a nutritionist, this highly impresses me and I had to mention this product to my readers and clients! Use whichever type of oil you prefer to vary the taste and diversify your diet (they recommend blended vegetable oil, pure corn oil, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil.

Other Features:
100% safe: no oil bath, no condensation
Automatic cover opening/closing
Cover, basket and vanes can be removed and are all dishwasher-safe
Audible warning at end of cooking period
Capacity: 1 kg
Recipes-book and measuring spoon are included
Power: 1 400 W

The Easiest, and Ultimate Tempura Batter Recipe

Tempura is deep fried vegetables or seafood, which is commonly eaten in Japan. The end result should be very light and crispy, and very light golden in color. Dip in sweetened low sodium soya sauce and serve with Japanese sticky rice....and some sushi!

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2/3 cup ice water

Beat egg and then mix in all other ingredients. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Dip veggies and seafood into the batter, shake off excess and fry away!

My Thanksgiving Favorites - Vegetarian Style!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Here in Canada, Thanksgiving is this weekend.....and my husband is actually going to be home for 3 whole days from out of town work! And for all my American foodie friends, you are celebrating on November 26th. I love all the smells of Thanksgiving....and all that yummy food. I am vegetarian, so I always say a big no to the turkey and gravy, but that doesn't mean the Thanksgiving meal is bland for me! Here are some of my very favorite Thanksgiving recipes....all very fit for you meat eaters too! Have fun and enjoy the time with your family and friends!

Autumn Fruit and Nut Stuffing

To me, stuffing is the best part of the Thanksgiving day meal! Even as a little kid, the smell of stuffing being prepared would make me so hungry. I love the combination of sweet and savory and the yummy herbs. This stuffing, or “dressing” is full of healthy ingredients and super high in fibre.
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large pear, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large apple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I used Westpoint Naturals)
4 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 cup chopped dried apricots (I used Westpoint Naturals)
1 cup dried cherries (I used Stoneridge Orchards)
1 cup dried cranberries or blueberries (I used Stoneridge Orchards)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
14 cups 1/2-inch cubes crustless white bread,cubed
1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped (I used Westpoint Naturals)
Saute pear and apple cubes with the sugar in 1 tbsp.olive oil till golden brown. Transfer to very large bowl; mix in cinnamon. Saute onions and celery in remaining olive oil until translucent. Add wine, apricots, cherries, cranberries, rosemary and sage. Simmer until liquid is reduced almost to glaze and mixture is soft and moist, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix into pear/apple mixture. Mix bread and pecans into fruit mixture. Season stuffing with salt and pepper.
To bake stuffing in a dish:Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 35 minutes.

Maple Walnut Brussels Sprouts
I used to have a beautiful white cat named Fluffy who loved brussels sprouts, as well as corn on the cob and cooked cauliflower! These are guaranteed to make you a brussel sprout lover….I hated Brussels sprouts until I tried this recipe. We make them all year round, not just during the holidays.
3 cups cleaned brussel sprouts, left whole if small, halved if large
4 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 toasted walnuts (I used Westpoint Naturals)
Fry brussel sprouts in oil on medium heat until cooked till desired doneness. Mix in salt and maple syrup. Place in serving bowl and top with pecans!

Honey Beer Bread

Thanksgiving is such a busy time….and this bread comes together in mere seconds! A very moist bread, the beer, baking soda and baking powder makes it rise. We LOVE this bread and add different herbs depending on what the main meal is. This time of year, sage, rosemary and thyme are perfect! You can also “kick it up a notch” with chopped sundried tomatoes.
3 cups flour……I used 1 cup whole wheat and 2 cups all purpose white
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. seasalt
2 tbsps. honey
½ tsp. sage
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbsps. flax seed (I used Omega Crunch)
1 - 12oz. can of beer at room temperature
Mix dry ingredients. Stir in beer. Put in greased pan and bake at 325F for 30-50 minutes.

Gingered Pumpkin Soup with Caramelized Onions

A great way to bring pumpkin into your Thanksgiving day meal.
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced

15-ounce can pumpkin or the equivalent fresh and cooked

Juice of 1 orange

3 cups low fat milk or soy milk

Seasalt and ground black pepper, to taste

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds to garnish (I used Westpoint Naturals)

In a large frying pan over medium-high, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and half of the onions. Saute until the onions are very soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and ginger, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onions are thick and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining onion, and the apple. Saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the pumpkin and orange juice, then blend with an immersion blender or food processor. Add the milk and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and return to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and carmelized onions.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I just love sweet potatoes, so much more flavor than a traditional potato and so much better for you!
4 large sweet potatoes
1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup onions, minced
4 tablespoons crystallized ginger, minced
2 tablespoon golden raisins
2 tablespoon dates, chopped (I used Mariani Premium)
½ teaspoon seasalt
Black pepper to taste

Toasted Pecans to garnish
Preheat oven to 450F. Clean sweet potatoes, dry, and place on baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Saute onions until soft. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then scoop out most of the flesh, leaving at least ¼ inch along the entire skin. Combine sweet potato flesh with onion, ginger, raisins, prunes, salt, and pepper. Spoon into sweet potato skins and bake until very hot, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with pecans.

Spiced Cranberry Apple Chutney

I just cringe when I see people opening a can of jellied cranberry sauce….that suction sound that it makes as it dumps out, whole, in the shape of the can, in a bowl!! My mom always makes her own amazing cranberry sauce, it hardly takes anytime at all and is so worth it! Here is a twist on my mom’s cranberry sauce.
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 cup peeled, diced apple
1 cup orange juice, preferably fresh
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots or peaches (I used Mariani Premium)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used ForesTrade)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3 to 4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste
Place all the ingredients except the sweetener in a deep saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat with the lid slightly ajar for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add sweetener to taste and simmer uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes until thick. Let the chutney cool to room temperature, then store in a sterilized jar, tightly covered but not sealed. Refrigerate until needed. Before serving, bring to room temperature.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Apple Walnut Wild Rice

This makes a great main dish and is super packed with flavor, fibre, and vitamins. The walnuts add a great crunch and compliment the nuttiness of the wild rice perfectly.
3 medium acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar(I used Wholesome Sweeteners)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 cups cooked wild rice
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1/4 cup dried apples, finely chopped (I used Stoneridge Orchards)
Sea salt and pepper to taste

**add diced tempeh for a complete vegetarian entree
Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place squash cut side up on a baking sheet, brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over the tops and insides of the squash halves, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven until just fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, garlic, and celery, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the rice, walnuts, apples, salt, and pepper. Divide the rice filling among the roasted squash halves (about 1/2 cup for each) and drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over top. Continue roasting until the squash is completely fork tender, the edges have started to brown, and the filling is heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes. If it browns too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil overtop while they cook.

Crunchy Jicama and Mango Salad

Jicama is the crunchiest vegetable I have ever come across, and is great in salads, wraps, and stirfries. The first time I had it was with my sister.....we found a great little wrap place in Victoria, BC and I would always order the curried shrimp wrap and it had tons of crunchy, thinly sliced jicama in it. It is a brown, rough skinned root which is white inside. It is sweet and crazy crunchy and it is loaded with Vitamin C and potassium. This is a really quick and simple salad that really showcases the mighty jicama! It's also really nice with cold grilled prawns added to it.

1 cup julienned peeled jicama
1 cup chopped peeled mango
1 red pepper, julienned
1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 avocado, cut into chunks
Fresh cilantro
1-1/2 cups torn mixed salad greens
DRESSING:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
Pinch of chili powder
Dash salt and pepper

Place mixed greens on plates, and then mix other ingredients and dressing together. Place on mixed greens and top with fresh cilantro!

All Greens Pizza with Arugula Toasted Almond Pesto...and some Pizza Trivia!

5 You will definitely get your greens with this pizza….and the arugula almond pesto gives it a real peppery kick. I am such a pizza lover, but always looking for a new way to have it….tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese can get a bit, well, boring! Leftover pesto is excellent tossed with new potatoes or blanched green beans, and is AMAZING on grilled fish, like halibut. Try freezing leftover pesto in ice cube trays….pop however many you need out and add to cooked veggies, pasta sauces, etc.!

Whole Wheat Honey Crust (recipe in September 21st, 2009 post below)
Arugula Almond Pesto
Spinach leaves, chopped
Swiss Chard leaves, chopped
Thinly sliced green pepper
Thinly sliced green onions
Thinly sliced zucchini
Fresh basil and oregano leaves
Part skim mozzarella, grated
Asiago cheese, grated

Arugula Almond Pesto
6 cups fresh arugula, washed well and allowed to dry
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted raw almonds
1 cup freshly grated reduced fat Parmesan
Salt & pepper to taste
Whiz all ingredients in a food processor, slowly adding in oil. Season to taste.

Roll out dough, add a good smear of pesto sauce, lots of veggies, top with cheeses. Bake at 375 F.

SOME PIZZA TRIVIA!

In 1889, an Italian tavern owner named Don Raffaele Esposito developed a pizza featuring tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil – ingredients bearing the colors of the Italian flag. He named it the Margherita Pizza, after the Queen of Italy, Margherita Teresa Giovanni. Thus, modern-day tomato-and-cheese pizza was born.

About 3 billion pizzas are sold each year in the U.S.

According to Domino’s, some of the more popular international toppings are pickled ginger, minced mutton and tofu in India, squid (octopus) and Mayou Jaga (mayonnaise, potato and bacon) in Japan, and green peas in Brazil. In Russia, they serve pizza covered with mockba, which is a combination of sardines, tuna, mackerel, salmon and onions. In France, a popular combo is called the Flambee, with bacon, onion and fresh cream.

Gennaro Lombardi's an Italian restaurant on Spring Street in New York City, served America’s first pizza in 1905 (or 1895).

There are more than 75,000 pizza restaurants in the U.S. serving about 3 billion pizzas a year.

Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second. That is an average of 46 slices (23 pounds) per year for every man, woman and child in America.

93% of Americans eat at least one pizza per month.

The number one day for U.S. pizza consumption is Super Bowl Sunday, and second is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Pepperoni is the favorite topping in the U.S. - it is on 36% of all pizza orders.

According to an American Dairy Association random sampling survey, pizza is America's fourth most craved food, behind cheese, chocolate and ice cream.

The first Pizza Hut restaurant was in Wichita, Kansas in 1958.

Want a large pizza? Order 'The Big One' at Mama Lena's Pizza House in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania (suburban Pittsburgh). For $99.99 you get a 3 foot x 4 foot pizza made with 20 pounds of dough, 1 gallon of pizza sauce and 15 pounds of cheese.

Some Mighty Fine Organic Juice!

Wow, this summer has been a doozy....so hot! And it's very important to keep hydrated. And yes, I am a nutritionist and should be drinking lots of water right? Well, I hate water. Plain old water?? Yech. When I need my thirst quenched and body rehydrated, I reach for juice. But, most juices out there are NOT good for you. Loaded with sugars, colors, chemicals...and very little pure quality fruit juice. But man oh man, did I find some amazing juice! Introducing one of my newest favorite fruit juices is PURITY ORGANIC FRUIT JUICE. Imagine opening a nice cold bottle of totally organic juice on a hot day, in flavors like "Strawberry Paradise", "Cranberry Harmony", and "Tropical Bliss" and "Citrus Passion". They also have "functional drinks", which unlike flavored waters, actually contain at least 20% organic juice, B vitamins and other active ingredients which help you get through the day. This is what happens when a company works hard with organic farmers to produce only the best fruit and put it into bottles! I'm pretty fussy about the juice I drink, and this one is a true winner!

Mega Veggie Pizza with a Whole Wheat Honey Crust

Whenever my husband comes home from being away at work for weeks at a time, the first thing he requests for a meal when he comes home is pizza! Usually we make it on the barbeque, but occasionally we still do it the old fashioned way: in the oven. Even though he is a meat eater, he loves vegetarian pizza, so I load it up but good! Got to get the veggies in him somehow......

Whole Wheat Honey Pizza Dough
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon seasalt
2 tablespoons honey
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl combine flour, wheat germ and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the yeast mixture, honey and olive oil; stir well to combine. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for a few minutes. Roll dough on a floured pizza pan and add desired toppings.

Some of my favorites:

Low fat marinara sauce (homemade or canned)

Canned artichokes (not the marinated ones), drained and chopped

Red onion, sliced thin

Spinach, either fresh or frozen (squeezed as dry as possible)

Pineapple, either fresh or canned in juice, drained well

Mushrooms, sliced thin

Green and Red peppers, sliced thin

Sliced black olives

Part skim mozzarella cheese

Low fat feta cheese

Fresh basil leaves and a pinch or two or red pepper flakes

Grilled eggplant and zucchini slices

Sundried tomatoes (drained well of oil and blotted with paper towel)

Fresh arugula leaves (sprinkled on top of pizza after its baked)

Roll out your dough, load up the veggies, sprinkle on some cheese and bake till browned on the bottom and bubbly on the top!

Creamy Spinach and Carrot Soup

You think cream soup, you think high fat. But it doesn't have to be. Same goes for all kinds of "creamy" dishes! With great substitutions like light or fat free cream cheese, reduced fat milk, light sour cream, or even pureed silken tofu (I know, it sounds weird, but its delicious!), you can make one heck of an amazing cream soup, etc, without all the fat. No one will ever know! I really like cream of carrot soup, so I thought I would change things up a bit and reduce the fat and add one of my favorite veggies to it: Spinach!

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 cup 2% milk
½ cup light cream cheese

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup shredded carrots (keep a little for garnish)

10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

1/4 tsp. seasalt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. orange zest

Cook onions with olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender (5 to 6 minutes). Stir in flour until smooth and bubbly (1 minute). Stir in milk, cream cheese and broth. Add remaining ingredients except orange zest. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until soup is heated through (12 to 15 minutes). Add orange zest during last minute or two of cooking. Top soup with grated carrot or orange zest! The perfect soup on a cold night.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Biscuits

Wow, do I love sweet potatoes! Growing up, we NEVER had sweet potatoes, it was like they didn't exist. We did however always have lots of other vegetables to choose from on the dinner table. As a grown up, I make sweet potatoes all the time; roasting them in the oven with garlic and mushrooms, grilling slices of them on the barbeque, mashing them instead of having regular mashed potatoes, and of course, sweet potato fries. This is a recipe that turns out fluffy tasty biscuits which are great if you need to use up some leftover sweet potatoes, and the biscuits have the benefits of all the healthy good stuff sweet potatoes contain! Super high in Vitamins A, C, E and Selenium, sweet potatoes (and yams, a variety of sweet potato) lower the risk of cancer, and may lower blood cholesterol. The darker orange the vegetable, the more disease fighting "carotenoids" it has!

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil spread
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup low fat milk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in the olive oil spread until pieces of the spread are pea-sized or smaller. Mix in the applesauce, sweet potatoes, and enough of the milk to make a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll or pat out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Place biscuits 1 inch apart onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Variation: omit the cinnamon and add fresh snipped chives!