Cheesy Broccoli Cups

Ingredients:
2 c. broccoli florets
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 c. ricotta
1 1/2 C. grated mozzarella, divided
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Steam broccoli until tender.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cool broccoli slightly.
4. Coursely chop and place in a bowl.
5. Combine broccoli, garlic, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and egg.  
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Stir all ingredients to combine.
8. Divide broccoli/cheese mixture among ramekins.
9. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
10. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheeses are melted and mozzarella on top starts to brown.

Homemade Pain Relieving Cream

Ingredients:

1/2 c. Coconut Oil
2 t. Beeswax pellets
5 drops Camphor oil
5 drops Peppermint oil

5 drops Eucalyptus oil

Directions:

1. Melt coconut oil and beeswax pellets. (I use a double boiler)
2. Stir until melted.
3. Allow the mixture to cool, but not to set up.
4. Add the essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a small container and allow to cool completely.

Note:  Since coconut oil is the dominant ingredient, this will melt if kept in a warm place. 

 

Tandoori Seasoning

Ingredients:

1½ t. garlic powder
1½ t. paprika
1 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. salt
¼ t. ground cardamom
¼ t. ground cinnamon

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and use as a rub for lamb, beef, pork and chicken.

Note:  This is spicy.

Basic Lip Balm

Ingredients:
1 t. beeswax
2 t. coconut oil
2 drops vitamin E oil
2-3 drops flavor oil

Instructions:
Melt beeswax and coconut oil.
Stir in vitamin E oil.
Add flavor oil
Place in tube or pot.

Note:  This can be made without the flavor oil if you don't have any on hand.

Tea Tree Oil Shampoo

This is a handy shampoo to combat dandruff or scalp build up.

What You Will Need:

• 1 Bottle Shampoo (preferably dye and fragrance free)
• 1 Bottle Tea Tree Oil
• Dropper

Directions:

1. Using a dropper, add 2 drops of tea tree oil per ounce of shampoo.
2. Replace the shampoo bottle cap and shake well to mix.
3. Shake shampoo before each use.
4. Use shampoo as you normally would.

Notes:

• Do not ingest tea tree oil.
• Do not use tea tree oil undiluted
• Watch for allergic reactions, especially if it is your first time using tea tree oil.
• Do Not use tea tree oil if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
• As with any essential oils, use with caution.

Easy Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 lb. shrimp cooked shrimp, deveined.
1 lemon
2 t. Italian Seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt a stick of butter.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil.
4. Thinly slice lemon and lay out on the baking sheet.
5. Layer on the shrimp over the lemon.
6. Pour the butter over the shrimp.
7. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.
8. Bake for 15 minutes.

Parmesan Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini, cut in half
• olive oil
• 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
• 1 T. Rosemary (fresh)
• 1 T. Thyme (fresh)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Brush cut zucchini lightly with olive oil.
3. Place zucchini on foil lined baking sheet.
4. Mix Parmesan cheese, rosemary and thyme.
5. Sprinkle cheese mixture on zucchini halves.
6. Bake 15 minutes
7. Broil 3-4 minutes, until cheese is golden brown.

Note:  If using dried herbs, use sparingly because the Rosemary can be overpowering.

Modification:  Try Mozzarella instead of Parmesan, and Italian Seasoning instead of Rosemary and Thyme.

White-Bean and Sausage Stew

Ingredients:

• 6 (3 oz.) Italian sausages  
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped  
• 2 (15 oz.) cans white beans (Great Northern or navy), rinsed and drained  
• 1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained  
• 1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme  
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Poke holes in sausages and put in a large nonstick skillet. 
2. Add 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil. 
3. Lower heat and cook sausages, turning, until lightly browned and water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. 
4. Transfer to a plate. 
5. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. 
6. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. 
7. Add beans, tomatoes and thyme.
8. Put half of bean mixture into a slow cooker. 
9. Arrange sausages on top, followed by remaining beans. 
10. Cook on high for 4 hours. 
11. Check after 2 hours and add water if mixture looks dry.
12. Remove sausages; slice thickly. 
13. Season beans with salt and pepper. 
14. Return sausage to stew. 

Note:  Stew can be kept, frozen and tightly sealed, for up to 1 month.

Prep. Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  4 hours, 15 minutes
Serves 4

Tortellini & Zucchini

This is a pretty versatile recipe.  Pick your favorite tortellini.  Add peppers if you like.

Ingredients:
2 medium to large zucchini, sliced thin
1/4 c. diced onion
1 T. Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
9 oz. tortellini, cooked according to package directions
2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 t. basil
1 t. parsley

Directions:

1. Cook the tortellini according to package directions
2. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet
3. Saute onion until translucent
4. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds
5. Add basil and parsley
6. Add zucchini to skillet and saute until lightly browned
7. Add cooked tortellini to zucchini mixture
8. Add tomato sauce, stir.
9. Cook until everything is heated through.

Pork Cutlets

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded into fine powder)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour plus a few tablespoons for dredging
• 2 eggs
• 4 small, boneless porkchops 
• salt, pepper, seasonings 
• Worcestershire (optional)
• Cabbage
• 3 - 4 Tablespoons Coconut oil 

Directions:

1. Pound pork lightly until thin
2. Season pork with salt and pepper
3. Dredge pork in coconut flour
4. Beat eggs, dip pork into egg mixture
5. Combine Parmesan and coconut and then dip pork into that mixture as well
6. Heat oil 
7. Fry porkchops until dark golden brown and then flip it on the other side (10 min, depending on thickness)
8. Serve with cabbage

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

This makes a nice appetizer or light lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced 
• 1 avocado, diced 
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine 
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion 
• 2 limes, juice of 
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro 
• salt and fresh pepper to taste 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. 
2. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.
3. In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño. 
4. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. 
5. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

If you need to prepare this ahead of time, combine all ingredients except the avocado and cliantro.  Refrigerate.  Add the avocado and cliantro immediately prior to serving.

Basic Tomato Sauce

If you are looking for a tomato sauce recipe with no added sugar, here is a simple, yet tasty recipe.  An added benefit is the extra vegetables added, and no one will know!

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped

1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t. dried basil or 2 T. chopped fresh basil

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 t, tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. 
2. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. 
3. Stir to coat. 
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.
5. Remove cover and add the minced garlic. 
6. Increase the heat to medium high. 
7. Cook garlic for 30 seconds. 
8. Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes. 
9. Add the tomato paste and the basil. 
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
11. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. 
12. If you want, you can push the sauce through a food mill, or blend it with an immersion blender, to give it a smooth consistency. 

Cherry Tomatoes with Broccoli Filling

I served these at our Christmas Eve party and they were a very popular appetizer.

Ingredients:

48 cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)  1 10-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed1/2 cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise1/2 cup  nonfat sour cream1/4 cup  grated Parmesan1/2 teaspoon  crushed red pepper  Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Slice tops off tomatoes; reserve. 
2. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out pulp; discard pulp. 
3. Invert tomatoes onto paper towels, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill
4. Squeeze as much moisture as possible from broccoli and pat dry with paper towels. 
5. Place in bowl of a food processor and add mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan and crushed red pepper. 
6. Pulse a few times to thoroughly mix, but do not completely puree. 
7. Season with salt and pepper. 
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. Spoon 1 tsp. filling into each tomato, mounding filling slightly. 
10. Set tops on filling. 
11. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

10 Servings