2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced (including the leaves)
1 regular carrot (not baby), peeled and diced small
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
2 cans (14 oz size) chicken or vegetable broth
1 smoked turkey leg or wing
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cans (15 oz size) black beans, drained and rinsed (about 4 to 5 cups cooked beans)

I like my soup a little spicy — so I add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
You can also serve with some hot sauce so that each person can flavor based on their personal spiciness level. My favorite hot sauce is Franks.

Put a Dutch oven over medium heat on stovetop.
Pour in oil, add onion, celery, and carrot; cook stirring for 4 minutes or until softened.
Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Add broth and bring soup just up to a slow boil.
Turn heat down to low heat, add ham and seasonings, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add black beans, stir to combine, and simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.
To thicken soup, scoop out about 3 to 4 cups of soup (mostly black beans) and put in food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth making a puree. Add puree back to soup pot, stir to combine and serve.

My husband isn’t a big fan of carrots, but when I put these to items together and blend the crap of them he will eat it.

1 pound carrots
1 pound parsnips
1 small onion
1 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Put olive oil and onions in the pan and saute until brown about 3-5minutes. Peel and cut the carrots, and parsnips into 1/2  inch pieces; peel and cut the onion into 1 inch pieces.
Put the carrots, parsnips, onion, and vegetable broth in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat immediately and cover; simmer slowly for 20 to 25 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

Drain the vegetables through a colander over a bowl, reserving broth.

Put vegetables, coconut oil, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of the reserved broth in your food processor or blender ( I use the Vitamix) and ‘puree’ until smooth and whipped.  Add more reserved broth if you want to make the puree thinner.

Serve immediately in small bowls as a side dish loaded with nutrition. The flavors will develop more if you refrigerate overnight, then just reheat slowly in a saucepan before serving.

This also may be turned into soup by just adding more reserved broth to the food processor. You can add some protein to it but add in some smooth tofu.

4 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into thin slices lengthwise.
Place potatoes in a bowl.

Spray the grill with cooking spray grill and preheat to medium-low. Arrange the potatoes on the grates in the center of the grill, away from direct flame.

Cover grill and cook sweet potatoes until good grill marks appear, then flip and continue cooking; total time about 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness of potatoes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

When sweet potatoes are tender all the way through, remove from grill and put i the bowl with maple syrup mixture and toss to coat well.

Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

This salad is fast and easy. I’ve even used sweet potato instead of butternut squash. This salad is versatile enough that you can mix in any protein to it. My favorites are grilled shrimp or chicken.

1 (1.5 to 2 lb) butternut squash
2 Tbsp light olive oil
2 Tbsp real maple syrup
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp shallots, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and dried (if you can’t find arugula, you can use baby spinach or mixed greens)
1/2 cup walnuts pieces, toasted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, remove rind, and cut into 1 inch pieces.
Place the squash on a baking sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, maple syrup, salt and teaspoon pepper and mix to coat well.
Put in preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes, turn, and roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until tender and browning.
Just before roast cooks completely, sprinkle cranberries on top and put back in oven for final minutes – about 2 or 3 minutes is enough.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together the apple juice, apple cider, and shallots and bring to a boil over medium heat; cook until this liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to make the vinaigrette dressing.
To assemble, put the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture and walnuts.

Drizzle a little vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. Add more vinaigrette if desired, taste, and add more kosher salt and pepper if needed.

Serve immediately. Will serve about 4 to 6 people.

There are times that your potlucks are brunches — or there is nothing wrong with eggs for dinner. One of my very good friends Julie C. is a sucker for breakfast for dinner. Whenever we go out to eat and she sees they have all day breakfast she’s like cool, I’m having an omelette, fritta or quiche. Here’s a great one. You can easily multiply this recipe or make once you get to your party.

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced yellow summer squash (I’ve used cooked sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
cooking spray
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. butter (or oil)

Coat pan with cooking spray a heavy oven-proof 10 inch skillet, and place over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, summer squash, zucchini, and bell pepper and cook, stirring until vegetables have browned slightly and are softened a bit.

Scrape out into a bowl and keep warm and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, water, cheese, basil, and garlic powder until blended.  Spray in more cooking spray.

Pour 1/2 of the egg mixture into the hot skillet. Tilt skillet and gently push the cooked portions from edges toward the center with moving the uncooked eggs to the hot skillet bottom. Once the eggs are solid, spoon 1/2 the vegetable mixture on 1 side of the eggs, then flop the remaining eggs over the top and slide off onto a plate.

Repeat with the remaining 1/2 eggs and vegetables.

This makes 2 good sized omelettes.

Serve while warm.

Depending on the diet you are currently on, you can do a few substitutions.  Substitute egg whites for whole eggs if desired and use fat reduced cheese if you wish.

This is such a yummy addition to any holiday potluck or holiday event.

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1 lemon, juiced
1 large (or 2 medium) garlic bulbs, roasted* (you want at least 10 garlic cloves)
1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash dried oregano

*Start by roasting the garlic. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut top off bulb, exposing cloves of garlic (no need to remove all the papery stuff from the sides.) Set bulb upright in a square of foil. Drizzle olive oil over the cut top of the garlic. Fold the foil up over the bulb and seal. Set on a baking sheet and put in preheated oven and bake about 25 to 30 minutes, or until garlic bulb is very soft.

When garlic bulb is done, remove and let cool just enough to handle, then unwrap from foil, tip cut side down over a bowl, and squeeze gently to pop out all the garlic cloves in the bowl; let cool then smash with a fork.

In a separate bowl, put the diced avocado and give it a rough smash either with a fork or a pastry cutter.

Add the lemon, smashed roasted garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano, stir together, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve as a spread on a vegetable tray

1 lb asparagus, trimmed, chopped, and steamed
2 tsp fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp chopped sweet onion
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 tsp salt, more or less to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
dash hot sauce, more or less to taste
1/3 cup Greek yogurt

In a food processor, put all the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Spoon into a bowl and cover tightly.
Refrigerate overnight for flavors to develop.
Makes 3 cups.
This is a fun alternative for avocado guacamole and it tastes great!

You can pair with veggies.

2 to 3 lb chicken breast
salt and pepper
cooking spray
1 can (28 oz size) diced tomatoes
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1  medium onion, sliced thin wedges
1/2 cup  sliced black olives
1/4 cup soy Sauce

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper.

Spray the large heavy skillet and cook the chicken until well browned; remove to platter as it browns, then add more chicken.  Don’t crowd skillet.

When all chicken is browned and removed from skillet, add the tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, onion, olives, and soy sauce, stirring to combine.

Arrange chicken pieces over the top of the ingredients in skillet.

Cover the skillet with lid or foil and seal.

Turn heat down to low and simmer gently for 40 to 45 minutes or until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Serve by scooping veggies onto plates and topping with chicken.

Serves 4.

1 lb fresh green beans
1/4 cup dried cranberries (sweetened or not)
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 fresh lemon, juiced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Trim and cut green beans in half on the diagonal into similar sizes.  Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil, prepare an ice bath in a bowl.  When water comes to a boil, drop in the beans and let boil for 1 or 2 minutes, then drain and put beans in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

When the beans are cold, drain and dump out onto a paper towel covered wire cooling rack.

Mix up the dressing while waiting for the beans to dry.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper.

In a large salad bowl, put the drained beans, cranberries, pecans, and onions, drizzle on the dressing and toss to combine well.

Serve immediately.

Will serve 2 to 4, and may be easily doubled.

2 (12 oz each) bags broccoli coleslaw mix
1/2 to 1 cup (more or less) prepared dressing, your choice (I used Ken’s Balsamic Vinegar)
1 (8 oz) package dried sweetened cranberries
2 cups pistachio nuts, chopped slightly
salt and pepper

Put both bags of broccoli slaw in a large salad bowl, add some of the dressing, and stir to coat well.  Taste and add more dressing if desired and stir again.

Add the dried sweetened cranberries and pistachio nuts, toss to combine, taste and salt and pepper as needed.

Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so flavors blend.

Serve cold.

Will serve 4 to 6 people.

2 medium size Granny Smith or other tart apples
1 tsp lime juice
pinch Kosher salt
2 Tbsp dried currants
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp plain greek yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Wash and core apples. Do not peel. Dice apples into bite size pieces and put in large salad bowl, add lime juice and pinch of salt and toss well.

Add currants, cranberries, honey, and yogurt to the bowl and toss to coat well.

Put walnuts in a small, dry (no oil) skillet over medium heat and toast lightly, just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the toasted nuts to the salad and serve immediately.

2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (frozen will work as well)
1 cup pecans, rough chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to combine and coat well with the oil.

Arrange evenly on a large baking sheet.

Put in preheated oven and bake until Brussels sprouts are fork tender and slightly browned, about 20 to 30 minutes, turning the Brussels sprouts with a spatula at least once during the baking time.

Remove and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6.