homemade pizza sauce

1 32 oz. can whole or diced tomatoes
6 to 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste
Salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Olive oil
Basil
Oregano.

combine ingredients in blender.  puree. use on pizza.

*original recipe found on the kitchn.com, with adaptations and simplifications.

quinoa coconut granola bars

ingredients:
1 c oats
1 c quinoa, uncooked
1/2 c coconut flakes
1 c pecans, chopped
1 c cranberries, dried
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c peanut butter, all-natural
3/4 c honey
1 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp brown sugar


directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees.  spray a ceramic or glass 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

spread oats and quinoa onto a cookie sheet and toast in preheated oven for 8 minutes.  watch to be sure and not over cook.  place mixture in a large bowl and add coconut, nuts and dried cranberries.

in a medium sauce salt, combine salt, peanut better, honey, oil and brown sugar.  bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately remove from heat and pour over the oat mixture.  stir together until dry ingredients are evenly coated. 

pour into prepared baking dish, pressing mixture down into the pan.  bake for 20 minutes.

cool for up to 2 hours, then cut and serve.

*original recipe found on super healthy kids.
**i have eliminated cranberries and used almonds in place of pecans.  i've also added chocolate chips.

jicama salad

ingredients:
1 lb jicama
1 medium lime
2 medium oranges
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper


peel jicama and cut into sticks about 2 inches long and 1/4 inches thick.  place in a large bowl.

fineley grate the zest of the lime and add to the bowl of jicama.  cut the lime in half and squeeze one lime half over the jicama.  set the second half aside.

finely zest one of the oranges (you should have about 1 tbsp) and add to the bowl of jicama.

slice 1/4 inch off the top and bottom of the zested orange and set it flat on the work surface.  using a paring knife follow the curve of the orange and slice off any remaining peel and white pith.  working over the bowl of jicama, slice between the membranes to release the segments .  repeat the segmenting with the second orange.  (you do not need the zest of this orange.)

add the bell pepper and cilantro and stir to combine.  season with freshly ground black pepper, and more lime juice as needed.

*original recipe from www.chowhound.com

cilantro peanut pesto

ingredients:
1 c. roughly chopped cilantro
1/3 c peanut butter
1/4 c lime juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic

in food processor, add all the ingredients.  blend until smooth.

*original recipe found on www.simplywhisked.com

easy spinach almond pesto

ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach, washed
1/4 c. slivered almonds
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 large clove garlic
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

instructions:
in a food processor, pulse all ingredients until it forms a pesto consistency - smooth yet a little chunky.

*original recipe from www.eatingrules.com

slow cooker butternut squash soup

ingredients:
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 granny smith apple, cored and diced
1 medium (uncooked) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
1 sprig fresh sage
1 white onion, diced
1/2 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne
pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 c. canned coconut milk
(optional garnishes: extra coconut milk and cayenne

directions:
add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg to slow cooker.  toss to combine.

cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, or until the squash is completely tender and bashes easily with a fork.  stir in the coconut milk.

use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.  (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender, and puree until smooth, being very careful when working with the hot liquid.)  taste and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne if needed.

serve warm with optional garnishes, if desired.

*original recipe from www.gimmesomeoven
*cayenne is very strong in this recipe.  reduce amount to make kid friendly.

dinner in a pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin
1 tbsp. oil or butter
1 small onion, diced
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts
salt and pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
4 c. cooked rice, white or brown


preheat oven to 350 degrees.
line a baking sheet with foil.
thoroughly wash and dry the outside of the pumpkin. 
cut off the top of the pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds.  place the pumpkin on the baking sheet.  save the top.
in a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in oil or butter.  add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  drain the grease from the beef.  add salt, pepper, and water chestnuts.
in a large bowl, mix soup, brown sugar, and soy sauce.  add ground beef mixture and cooked rice.
empty bowl into the cleaned out pumpkin and replace pumpkin top.
bake for 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven, or on the rack where the pumpkin can be most centered in the oven.
after 1 hour, remove the top and check the sides of the pumpkin for doneness.  the outside of the pumpkin will turn a dark orange and the inside of the pumpkin should be tender and easily scoop off the sides with a spoon.  if the inside of the pumpkin is still not fully cooked, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.  the cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin.  using hot pads, place the pumpkin onto a serving plate, remove the lid, and stir.  be sure to scoop off chunks of cooked pumpkin into the casserole as it is served. 

*original recipe from www.favfamilyrecipes.com
**i've used ground turkey, instead of ground beef, in this recipe.
**it is a tradition for me to make this the week of halloween.  the kids love it, and so do the adults.