Roasted Potato and Asparagus Lentil Salad 

With Tangy Mustard-Lemon Dressing

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Protein-packed and perfect for spring, this French green lentil salad makes a lovely side dish, main course, or spring potluck dish. Roasted potatoes and asparagus are folded into the salad along with a tangy mustard-lemon dressing. I also roasted the red onion, but I think next time I might leave the onion raw for a fresh crunch. I imagine this salad would also be fantastic with some cooked quinoa mixed in or using any seasonal vegetables you prefer. The dressing makes a lot - 2/3 cup - so I prefer to stir in half of the dressing into the salad and then serve the rest of the dressing on the side to drizzle on top. This dressing is inspired by one I came across in It's All Good. 

Yield
4 servings

Prep time
25 Minutes

Cook time
30 Minutes

Ingredients:

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1 cup uncooked French green lentils/du Puy 
•     lentils (about 2 1/2 cups cooked)
• 3 medium yellow potatoes, diced (about 
•     3 1/2 about three and one half cups)
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• handful minced fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

FOR THE DRESSING (makes 2/3 cup):

• 2 tablespoons coarse seeded/old fashioned 
•    mustard (see photo in post)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• pinch or two fine grain sea salt or pink salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Rinse lentils in a fine mesh sieve. Place lentils in a medium pot along with 3 cups of water. Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer the lentils for about 18-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain off water and season lentils with salt (such as Herbamare).

Place chopped potatoes on one baking sheet and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Toss to coat and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the asparagus on the other baking sheet (and the red onion if you prefer to roast it too - see headnote) and drizzle with 1/2 tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

After the potatoes have roasted for 15 minutes, flip the potatoes and return them to the oven along with the asparagus (and red onion if you are roasting that) for another 12-15 minutes. The potatoes should be golden on the bottom when ready and the asparagus will be tender. Add roasted veggies into a large bowl along with the lentils and gently toss to combine.

Dressing:
Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together. I love a tangy dressing with a bite so I used 4 tbsp. lemon juice. If you prefer a less acidic dressing you might want to add more olive oil or you can also experiment with adding a touch of maple syrup (the sweetness will offset a bit of the bite). It's definitely a dressing you can play around with!

Pour half of the dressing onto the veggies and lentils in the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the salad warm with a garnish of fresh dill (optional), with the rest of the dressing served on the side.

Elvis Bars

No Bake Elvis Bars

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw

A quick and easy, minimally sweetened frozen dessert square inspired by the popular Elvis Pie. My version uses almond butter instead of peanut butter and replaces the bacon for chocolate. Be sure to enjoy these straight out of the freezer as they melt really fast! 

Yield
16 small squares

Prep time
20 Minutes

Cook time
0 Minutes

Chill time
1-1.5 hours

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1.5 cup whole almonds
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut nectar syrup or Brown Rice Syrup
1 tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste
For the middle layer:
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened slightly
2 tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste

For the chocolate drizzle:
3 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips 

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

Directions:

Line an 8-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. This makes it easy to lift out the bars later on.

For the crust: Add the almonds into a food processor and process until a fine crumb forms, slightly larger than sand. Now add in the rest of the crust ingredients and process until the mixture comes together, scraping the side of the bowl as needed. The mixture should be a slightly tacky and should stick together when pressed with your fingers. If it's not, add a very small splash of water and process again for a few seconds.

Dump the crust mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth out evenly and then press down firmly and evenly into the pan. You can lightly wet your fingers if the crust sticks to them. Use a pastry roller to roll it very smooth, compacting it as much as possible. Place in freezer while you prepare the middle layer.

Middle layer: Give the processor bowl a quick rinse. Add all the middle layer ingredients into the processor and process until smooth. Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the middle layer on top. Smooth out. Return to the freezer for at least 1-1.5 hours to set, until the middle layer is very firm to the touch.

Chocolate drizzle: When the middle layer is completely solid, prepare the topping. In a small pot heat the chocolate and coconut oil on the lowest heat, stirring to combine. When half of the chips have melted, remove the pot from the heat and stir until completely melted. Remove the bars from the freezer. Lift slab out of the pan and slice into squares. Spread out the squares on a plate lined with parchment paper. Drizzle on the melted chocolate and return bars to the freezer until the chocolate is firm and the bars are solid.

Enjoy these bars frozen, straight from the freezer. They melt very quickly so I don't suggest leaving them out for more than a couple minutes. Wrap leftovers and store in the freezer.

Tips:
1) Brown rice syrup will work instead of coconut nectar. I haven't tried any other liquid sweeteners yet, but I assume maple syrup or honey (if you eat it) would work too, although the crust might not stick together as much since coconut nectar is so thick.

There is no substitute for the coconut oil that I know of. It solidifies when freezing helping to make the bars very firm.

Warm Spring Salad

Warm Spring Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa (or try speltberries, but note they are not GF)
1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, sliced into rounds or half moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup diced strawberries (optional)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or other sweetener)
1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt & lots of pepper, to taste
lemon zest, for garnish

*

Directions: 

Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and place into a medium pot. Add 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover with tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15-17 minutes, or until fluffy and all the water is absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove from heat, and let sit covered for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, grab a very large skillet or wok. Sauté the leek and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add in the asparagus and sauté for another 5-10 minutes or until the asparagus is just tender, but still a bit crisp. Stir in the strawberries (optional), peas, and parsley. Heat for a few minutes and then remove from heat.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt) to taste. Pour dressing onto skillet mixture and stir in the cooked quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper & enjoy! This would also be lovely with nuts or seeds sprinkled on top.

Oh, I forgot to mention – this is also fantastic served cold too!

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/04/15/warm-spring-salad/#ixzz43vU81ApH

Present Glo Bars

Present Glo Bars
Or Energy Bars

This is an update on the original Glo Bar Recipe which I previously posted January 15, 2015.  I cannot tell you enough how delicious these energy bars are.
Ingredients:

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled Oats

1 1/4 cup crisp rice cereal

1/4 cup pepita seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1/4 cup roasted almond butter or peanut butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

*

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 F.  Line a 9" square cake pan with two pieces of parchment paper (one going each way.

Spread the pecans in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, rice crisp cereal, pepita seeds, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir in the cooled toasted pecans.

In a small saucepan, stir together the brown rice syrup and almond butter until well combined.  Cook over medium to high heat until the mixture softens and bubbles slightly, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. 

Pour the almond butter mixture over the oat mixture, using a spatula to scrape out every last bit out of the pan.  Stir well until all of the oasis and cereal are coated in the wet mixture.  (The resulting mixture will be very thick and difficult to stir.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, spreading it out into an even layer.  Lightly wet your hands and press down on the mixture to even it out.  Use a pastry roller to compact the mixture firmly and evenly.  Press down the edges with your fingers to even out the mixture.

Place the pan in the freezer uncovered and chill for 10 minutes, or until firm.

Lift the oat square out of the pan, using the parchment paper as handles, and place on a cutting board.  With a pizza roller (or a serrated knife), slice the square into 6 rows and then slice them in half to make 12 bars total.

Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or foil and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Alternately, you can store them in the freezer for up to  one month. 

Roasted Potato And Asparagus Lentil Salad With Tangy Mustard-Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Roasted Potato And Asparagus lentil Salad With Tangy Mustard-Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Barbara served this salad Thursday evening.  I gave it a 5 star rating.  It is so flavorful.  I searched for a photo which I took from the internet.  Our salad did not have the brown coloration but rather bold crisp colors. 

Ingredients:
 FOR THE SALAD:

1 cup uncooked French green lentils/du Puy lentils (about 2 1/2 cups cooked)
3 medium yellow potatoes, diced (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
handful minced fresh dill, for garnish (optional)   

                                     *

Dressing:  (makes 2/3 cup)

2 tablespoons coarse seeded/old fashioned mustard 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
pinch or two fine grain sea salt or pink salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Rinse lentils in a fine mesh sieve. Place lentils in a medium pot along with 3 cups of water. Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer the lentils for about 18-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain off water and season lentils with salt (such as Herbamare).

Place chopped potatoes on one baking sheet and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Toss to coat and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the asparagus on the other baking sheet (and the red onion if you prefer to roast it too – see headnote) and drizzle with 1/2 tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

After the potatoes have roasted for 15 minutes, flip the potatoes and return them to the oven along with the asparagus (and red onion if you are roasting that) for another 12-15 minutes. The potatoes should be golden on the bottom when ready and the asparagus will be tender. Add roasted veggies into a large bowl along with the lentils and gently toss to combine.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together. I love a tangy dressing with a bite so I used 4 tbsp. lemon juice. If you prefer a less acidic dressing you might want to add more olive oil or you can also experiment with adding a touch of maple syrup (the sweetness will offset a bit of the bite). It’s definitely a dressing you can play around with!

Pour half of the dressing onto the veggies and lentils in the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the salad warm with a garnish of fresh dill (optional), with the rest of the dressing served on the side.

Crustless Spinach And Feta Quiche With Sumac

Crustless Spinach And Feta Quiche With Sumac 

This quiche is elegant and delicious enough to serve guests, but also a great pie to have in the refrigerator to slice and eat for breakfast (lunch or dinner) all week long. You can lighten up the filling using all milk rather than half milk and half cream. Consider this your blank slate for any vegetables you have on hand, such as sautéed mushrooms or bell peppers.  Use exact cheese measurements to eliminate over salty taste.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 box (10 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces feta cheese
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sumac, divided
4 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Swiss, Gruyere, or mozzarella cheese 

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350°F. Brush an 8- or 9-inch pie plate with olive oil.
Squeeze the thawed spinach to remove as much water as possible. 

Shred and scatter the spinach over the bottom of the pie plate. Crumble the feta over the spinach, top with the onions, and dust with a tablespoon of sumac and a healthy pinch of kosher salt. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with a teaspoon of salt until they are smooth. Stir in the parmesan, milk, and cream. Pour the eggs over the spinach and feta. 

Top the eggs evenly with the Swiss, Gruyere, or mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sumac.  NOTE, I would suggest 1/2 of the amount of sumac for topping.

Bake the quiche for about 40 minutes, or until it is puffy and golden and doesn’t jiggle in the center when moved. Serve the quiche immediately with more sumac dusted over each slice. 

Refrigerate and eat the quiche for up to a week.

Homemade Apricot-Almond Power Bars

Homemaade Apricot-Poweer Bars

Turns out making your own power bars, energy bars, fruit and nut bars…it’s incredibly simple. The only requirements are a food processor and a few high-quality ingredients. Slice a bar with (not for) breakfast, and see just how powerful (and kind) they are.
Ingredients:1 cup dried apricots
1 cup roasted almonds (salted or unsalted)
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
3 tablespoons wheat germ
1/4 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut, divided
Juice of 1/2 lemon

*

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, add the apricots, almonds, dates, and half of the coconut. Pulse until the fruit and nuts begin to break down, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed. Add the lemon juice and pulse numerous times, until a paste begins to form and then the paste balls up.

Tip the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the wrap up over the dough and flatten the dough into a square about an inch thick, shaping the edges and flipping the packet over to continue shaping and flattening.

Lift up the plastic wrap and dust the top of the square with the remaining coconut. Wrap it tightly and freeze for at least one hour and up to several weeks, slicing bars off as needed.

Makes 9 3-inch bars

Energy Bars

Energy Granola Bars

This recipe is from the new cookbook of Angela Liddon whose blog "Oh She Glows" I have followed for several years.  Angela had challenges with diet in her years and today she offers very healthy recipes on her blog as well as in her cookbook.  This recipe in her book is titled Present Glo Bar.

*

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

1 1/4 cups crisp rice cereal

1/4 cup pepita seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1/4 cup roasted almond butter or 

   peanut butter 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

*

Preheat the oven to 300^F.  Line a 9" square inch cake pan with two pieces of parchment paper.  (one going each way.

Spread the pecans in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, rice crisp cereal, pepita seeds, cranberries, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir in the cooled toasted pecans.

In a small sauce pan, stir together the brown rice syrup and almond butter until well combined.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture softens and bubbles slightly, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the almond butter over the mixture using a spatula to scrape every last bit from the pan.  Stir well until all of the oats and cereal are coated into a wet mixture.  The resulting mixture will be very thick and difficult to stir.  

Transfer the mixture to a prepared pan, spreading it out into an even layer.  Lightly wet your hands and press down on the mixture to even it out.  Use a pastry roller to compact the mixture firmly and evenly.  This helps the bars hold together better.  Press down on the edges to even out the mixture

Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, and chill for 10 minutes, or until firm.

Lift the oat square out of the pan, using the parchment paper as handles, and place it on a cutting board.  With a pizza cutter or serrated knife, slice the square into 6 rows and then slice them in half to make 12 bars total.

Wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap or foil and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Alternately, you can store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.