Meat and Vegetable Curry

2 large onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (organic only)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 cup frozen corn (organic)
1 cup green beans cut in 3/4 inch pieces (organic only)
1/4 cup lime juice
1 pound ground meat (grass fed beef, lamb or free range turkey)
2 cans or 2 heaping cups home cooked dried organic beans (black, kidney or pinto)
1 28 ounce can of organic tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons turmeric
6 cloves of garlic sliced, chopped or minced
1-2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
4 teaspoons Celtic Sea salt

Cook ground meat and set aside.
Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in a little water.
Add frozen corn and green beans.
Add olive or coconut oil and lime juice.
Add Celtic Sea salt, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Stir until spices are evenly distributed.
Add meat, beans and canned tomatoes. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until thoroughly warmed.
Add chopped cilantro. Mix. Cover pan. Turn off heat. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve over brown rice or quinoa with a large tossed salad.

There are enough vegetables in the curry, but I like to also serve steamed or sauteed greens along with this.

This is one of my family's favorites.

This recipe freezes well. Store in glass freezer-safe dishes. Cool uncovered before freezing.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Here is a delicious recipe with some great healthy ingredients. The only thing I would change is to use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch.

Get the recipe here.

Melon Smoothies

2 cups of your favorite melon cut in chunks

Blend and enjoy!

It's quick and easy. My favorite is honey dew. Watermelon and cantaloupe also taste great.

Non-Dairy Blueberry Ice Cream

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 raw egg yolk (optional)
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 can organic coconut milk *
1/4 teaspoon Stevia powder

Process the blueberries in a blender or food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
Pour into an ice cream maker and follow the instructions.

Enjoy!

For variety, you can substitute other berries or fruits for the blueberries.

* Note: Make sure you buy organic or natural coconut milk from a health food store or natural foods market. The coconut milks in conventional grocery stores and Asian markets contain harmful chemical additives.Click here for help with food additives.

This recipe was adapted from the Berry Ice Cream recipe in Nourishing Traditions, one of my very favorite cook books!

Recipe: Sweet Potatoes and Apples

1 medium - large sweet potato
1 medium organic Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup bone broth or chicken broth, preferably homemade since bought broth generally contains MSG
1/2 teaspoon organic cinnamon (non organic spices are commonly irradiated, organic are not)
1/16 - 1/8 teaspoon stevia powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut potato into 1/2 - 3/4 inch chunks
Cut apple into slightly smaller chunks
Place sweet potato and apple chunks into small casserole dish and mix.

In a separate container, mix bone broth, cinnamon and stevia. Stir until completely dissolved. Pour over the sweet potato and apple mixture. Stir thoroughly.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour or until sweet potatoes are soft, stirring periodically.

This recipe is delicious cold too and makes a great snack.

I modified this recipe from the book, Ayurvedic Cooking For Westerners. It has been a family favorite for years.

This recipe has a lot less sugar than the original recipe, but still has the same flavor and a mild sweetness. You can adjust the sweetness by adding more or less stevia. However, care must be taken when using powdered stevia since it is extremely sweet and it's easy to get too much.

Sweet Potato Fries

You may already know that french fries are one of the unhealthiest foods to eat. But this is a recipe where you can have your "fries" and eat them too. Read on ...

Sweet potato fries are very easy and tasty - actually they're baked, not fried.

Scrub a large sweet potato or yam.
Cut into strips like you would for french fries.
Grease a baking pan with extra virgin olive oil or organic coconut oil.
Spread the sweet potato strips on the greased baking pan.
Spray olive oil (with a Mister) on the potato strips, or drip it from the bottle or a cruet. You can also drip melted coconut oil on the potato strips.
Sprinkle with Celtic Sea Salt.
Put baking pan in oven, preheated to 350 degrees F, no hotter.
Bake until soft.
Enjoy!

Find more helpful hints for healthy cooking here.

Homemade Chicken Soup For Your Soul

This soup is quick, easy and delicious.

5-6 cups chicken broth or chicken bone broth
1 large carrot thinly sliced or shredded
1 large turnip cut in 1/2 inch chunks
greens from the turnip cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 large onion chopped
1-2 cups kale cut in 1 inch pieces
1-2 cups of cabbage cut in 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon Celtic Sea salt
1/4 teaspoon each of marjoram and thyme
2 cups chicken cooked, cut in small chunks

Put broth in a saucepan, not more than 1/2 full, on low heat. Add chicken and all vegetables, except cilantro. Add seasonings. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cilantro right before you turn off the heat. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!