Here are some great, easy recipes for you to prepare and you work toward your diet and health goals. They are all delicious and good for you!

VEGETABLES

Broccoli Rabe with Caramelized Onions and Garlic

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Yields: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli rabe
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large onions, cut into half moons
2 cloves garlic, minced
a healthy pinch of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash broccoli rabe well.
2. Remove the thick part of the stems.
3. Roughly chop.
4. In a large frying pan heat oil.
5. Add onions and sautè until they begin to brown, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Add garlic, broccoli rabe and sea salt.
7. Stir-fry for about 4-5 minutes. Add water if necessary. Make sure broccoli remain bright green and slightly crispy.

Variations:

*Add toasted pine nuts.
*Add 1/2 pound cooked pasta to the finished greens for a light meal.
*If you don't like the bitterness of broccoli rabe, blanch it before sauteing.

Blanched Greens with Miso-Walnut Dressing

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 small bunch greens: collards, kale, mustard....
3 tablespoons walnuts, dry roasted and chopped fine
2 tablespoons barley miso
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2-3/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Blanch or steam the bunch of kale, leaving it whole. Allow it to cool and drain before slicing to a size of your choice.

Dressing:

1. To make dressing, place the walnuts in a suribachi and grind them finely, but not to a paste.
2. Add the miso and grind more.
3. Add the lemon juice and mix; add water to taste and mix again.
4. Serve the dressing over the boiled kale.

Garlic Gingered Broccoli with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli
5 inch piece of ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Finely grate garlic.
2. Squeeze the juice from the ginger and set aside.
3. Wash and cut your broccoli into florets.
4. You can use the stems, but it will take longer to cook.
5. Add 6 cups water to a pot.
6. Bring to boil.
7. Drop your broccoli in, and let quick boil for about 3 minutes.
8. Remove from water and give them a quick rinse.
9. Heat skillet with oil, add garlic and sauté for a few seconds before adding broccoli. Sauté them together, add tamari soy sauce, and ginger juice. Let these aromas fuse for about 5 minutes.

That is all it takes to create this beauty!

*Try this dish with cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.
*Garnish with finely chopped fresh tarragon or basil.

Steamed Daikon With Black Sesame Seeds

Ingredients:

2 large daikon radishes
1/4 cup black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Toast sesame seeds by placing them on a heated skillet.
2. Stir until they smell nutty. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Wash radishes.
4. If you have a little brush that you can utilize for this purpose then you don’t have to worry about peeling. Just scrub them well under running water.
5. Cut radishes in half moon shapes, lengthwise first, then across.
6. Put them into steaming basket, bring to boil, cover and steam for 3 minutes.
7. When they’re done sprinkle them with the toasted sesame seeds.

SEA VEGETABLES

Arame Seaweed With Carrots and Onions

Preparation time: 8 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 ounce dried arame
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, sliced
spring water
1 tablespoons tamari soy sauce or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Wash and drain the arame.
2. Heat a frying pan, add oil and spread around the pan.
3. Add onions and carrots, sauté 2-3 minutes.
4. Place arame on top of the onions and carrots. Add water to just cover the onions and carrots.
5. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, and add a small amount of tamari.
6. Cover and simmer another 15-20 minutes, then mix and stir until the liquid has evaporated.

Variations:

*Sesame seeds or scallions make a nice garnish.
*Hijiki seaweed could be used instead of arame.

Hiziki with Sweet Corn and Green Beans

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yields: 4 or more servings

Ingredients:

1 ounce hiziki, soaked 15-30 minutes, and sliced (about 11/2 cups soaked)
1 cup green beans, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 cup sweet corn (cut from the cob or frozen)
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons sesame oil
water

Directions:

Heat a small amount of sesame oil in a skillet. Add the hiziki and saute 1-2 minutes. Add just enough water to half cover, cover the skillet and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium - low and cover, and simmer 10-12 minutes. Place the green beans on top of hiziki in pot, then add corn on top of green beans. Add a small amount of soy sauce or tamari for a mild salty taste. Cover and simmer until the green beans and corn become tender and are still brightly colored. Turn up the flame, remove the cover, and cook off all the remaining liquid. Mix thoroughly and serve.

Variations:

*Use arame instead of hijiki

Sautéed Carrot, Onion, And Arame

Ingredients:

2 large carrots
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 ounce dried arame

Directions:

1. Wash and drain arame.
2. Heat frying pan.
3. Add oil and sauté onions and carrots for 3 minutes over medium heat.
4. Place arame over onions and carrots.
5. Add water ONLY to cover the carrots and onions.
6. Bring to boil.
7. Lower the heat and add tamari soy sauce.
8. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Mix and stir until water evaporates.

*Gomasio and scallions garnish this dish like you would not believe!

BEANS

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups black beans
1 red, green, and yellow bell pepper
3 cups water
5 inches kombu
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of cayenne
Juice of one lemon

Directions:

1. Wash beans.
2. Place them in a pot with kombu.
3. Add water and bring to boil.
4. Cover, add spices and simmer for an hour.
5. Chop onions, peppers, and mince garlic.
6. Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic.
7. Mix beans with sautéed onions.
8. Add peppers, olive oil, and salt.

*Garnish with cilantro and squeezed lemon juice.

Red Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:

2 cups red lentils
3 cups water
1 medium chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup hijiki (optional)
1/4 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 tablespoon dried cumin
1/8 tablespoon turmeric
1/8 tablespoon thyme
1/2 cup cilantro
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar

Directions:

1. Wash and drain lentils.
2. In a pot sauté onion, garlic, and cilantro.
3. Add lentils and hijiki.
4. Add water, and bring to a boil.
5. Add spices, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Uncover stir and cover again for another 10 minutes.
7. Stir and simmer vigorously uncovered for 3 more minutes.
8. It will look mushy because red lentils lose their shape when cooking.
9. Place them into a bowl to cool until you can form little 4-inch burgers with them.
10. Sprinkle with scallion and serve with rice and greens.

Minty Green Lentil Watercress Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups green lentils
2 bay leaves
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot shred
3 stalks celery –chopped
1 bunch scallion-chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint-chopped finely
1/4 cup fresh basil-chopped finely
1/4 cup cumin powder
1 bunch watercress-chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Pinch sea salt
2. Wash and drain lentils.
3. Place them in a pot with bay leaves.
4. Add water and cumin.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Cover and simmer for 30 –45 minutes.
7. Check periodically for desired softness.
8. When soft pull aside, but leave covered.
9. Meanwhile, wash all vegetables.
10. Chop celery, scallion, and watercress.
11. Finely chop fresh mint and basil.
12. In a big bowl, mix chopped vegetables and lentils.
13. Add olive oil, tamari, black pepper, and lemon juice.

SOUPS

Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients:

6 carrots
1 medium onion
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 inch piece fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Parsley to garnish.
2. Wash, peel, and cut carrots and onion into chunks.
3. Place vegetables and salt in a pot.
4. Add 4 cups water.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Cover with a lid.
7. Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes.
8. Transfer soup into blender, adding water to achieve desired consistency.
9. When blending is done, squeeze juice from grated ginger and add to soup.

*Sauté vegetables before cooking for extra flavor
*Substitute carrots with squash, parsnip, or beets. Squash and beets need 35-40 minutes to cook.

Green Lentil Soup

1 cup green lentils
1 medium red onion
1 carrot
1 parsnip
5 inches burdock (optional)
4 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Pinch sea salt.
2. Wash lentils.
3. In a pot add oil and sauté onions.
4. Add carrots, parsnips, and burdock.
5. Sauté together.
6. Pour lentils over sautéed mixture; add water and a pinch of sea salt.
7. Bring to boil and cover.
8. Turn heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
9. Add chopped cilantro and 2 tablespoons tamari to finished dish.
10. Mix and serve.

Creamy Chestnut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 large kabocha squashes
1 cup dried chestnuts
2 medium onions chopped
6 cups water
2 teaspoons sea salt

Directions:

1. Peel and cut squash into 2-inch chunks.
2. Chop onions.
3. Soak chestnuts for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. When chestnuts are soft you can cut them in half.
6. Put them in a baking dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Sauté onions in a pot for 4 minutes until they nice golden brown.
8. Add kabocha chunks.
9. Sauté them together for a few minutes.
10. Add water and salt.
11. Bring to a boil, and cover.
12. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
13. When chestnuts and squashes are ready, transfer them into a blender and, using the squash cooking water blend to desired consistency.

Mighty Miso Soup

5 cups water
8 inches wakame
5 inches kombu
1 large onion
1 medium daikon radish
1-2 tablespoons barley miso
1 cup scallion or leek

Directions:

1. Wash and soak wakame and kombu for 3 minutes until soften, and cut into little pieces.
2. Chop onion and daikon.
3. Add all vegetables and sea vegetables to water and bring to boil. Do not add miso yet!
4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer soup broth 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, remove 1 cup of liquid from the pot, dissolve miso paste, and return to the pot.
5. Mix in miso and reduce heat to very low and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do not boil.

*Garnish soup with scallion or leek.

DESSERTS

Indian Rice Pudding

1 cup basmati rice
2 cup water
4 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon whole cloves
Shredded lemon peel
Shredded orange peel
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 container almond milk
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 cup pistachios or almonds

Directions:

1. Place rice and spices in water and bring to a boil.
2. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. When rice is done transfer it into a bowl and remove cinnamon sticks.
4. Mix in raisins and shredded coconut.
5. Pour almond milk slowly into mixture to achieve your desired consistency.
6. Add pistachios and almonds.
7. This dessert can use all kinds of imaginative decorations and spices.

*You can be very exotic and add 1 teaspoon rosewater to it also.

COOKIE RECIPES

Vanilla Snaps (Yield= approximately 24 snaps)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unbleached white flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
3. Using a teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes until browned on the edges. Cool the snaps for several minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a cooling wrack until crisp.

Coconut Date Cookies

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Soak dates in 1 cup water for 30 minutes
2. Put all ingredients including date soaking water in a blender. Blend into dough
3. Form little balls, and smash them into cookies. Place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake 10 more minutes.