Sweet Potato Salad

4 medium Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, cubed (1/2 inch)
Olive Oil
a few dashes of Cumin

Preheat the oven to 375.  Toss the cubed sweet potatoes in the olive oil and cumin and roast in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish for 30 minutes.  Let cool, then add:

1/2 cup of chopped green onion
2-4 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
Juice of one Lime
1/2 Red Pepper, diced
1/2 Yellow Pepper, diced
Salt to taste

Refrigerate after combining.

Zucchini Spice Cupcakes

6 Tablespoons Butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves, optional
1/2 cup coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen) or Buttermilk or Yogurt or Regular Milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Zucchini, large shreds, I used my food processor

Preheat the oven to 350.  In a large glass mixing bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.  Stir in the sugar.  Beat in the Eggs.  Add the Spices.  Beat in the Milk.  Add the Flour with the salt and baking powder loosely stirred in before mixing.  Mix in the Zucchini.  Mix with a spoon only, not a beater, till just incorporated.  Fill each lined muffin cup with 1/4 cup of batter.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, makes 12.

Or bake in an 8 x 8 for 35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Grandma Gracie's Sloppy Joes

1 lb of ground beef 80/20
1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4-1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4-1/2 cup Sweet Pepper Relish

In a cast Iron skillet, brown the ground beef in the olive oil.  Add the onions and cook till done.  You can drain the fat at this point or not.  Add Ketchup and Sweet Pepper Relish.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Grandma Gracie always served hers on buttered toast from homemade white bread.

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

1-16 oz. package of dry orzo pasta, cooked according to directions

1 or 2 cucumbers, quartered and sliced
1 medium red onion, quartered and sliced
1-32 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained and squeezed
2-6 oz. containers of crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1 small jar of pitted Kalamata Olives, drained and quartered
1/4 cup of Olive oil
Juice from 1 Lemon
1/4 cup of Red Wine Vinegar
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Italian Meatballs

1 Lb (pound) of Ground Beef
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1-2 teaspoons pressed garlic
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 Tbs. dried parsley
1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese
3 Tablespoons of milk
1 Large Egg
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon of Salt

Combine all ingredients and form into Meatballs.  Roast on a cookie sheet in a 400 F degree oven for 20 minutes.  Mange!

Bean Salad

1 15-oz can each of Pinto, Garbanzo, Black, and Red Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper, washed, cored, seeded and diced
3 Jalapeno Peppers, washed, cored and diced (Optional if you can't take the heat)
2 15-oz cans of petite diced tomatoes, drained (reserve the tomato juice for other uses)
1/2 Red Onion, diced
6 large cloves of Garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar (I use raw, unpasteurized)
1 or 2 teaspoons of salt
A good grinding of Black Pepper Corns over the whole thing, optional
Dash of Tabasco brand original hot sauce, optional
2 cups of Cilantro, chopped-stir in 1 hour before serving
1/2 cup of REAL Olive oil, *leave out till just before serving

Combine all but the last two ingredients.  Let marinate for 24 hours.  Add remaining ingredients 1 hour prior to serving and let rest at room temperature.  Or keep it refrigerated and eat off of it for days.  Makes 8 servings, 350 calories.

The best part is if you are taking it for a work lunch it does not need to be refrigerated if you are eating it that day, or heated up ever. And surprisingly enough you will not get tired of it even if you eat it every day for lunch.

If you are so inclined, you may cook your own beans. An overnight soak in water with 1 teaspoon of salt before cooking produces the best results. Whenever I cook beans for another recipe I just reserve 1 1/2 - 2 cups of cooked, drained, and rinsed beans in the freezer for later use.  A quick rinse under hot water will thaw and separate the beans quickly.

It's also great to take to parties because it's Vegan, and doesn't have to be kept warm or cold. Keep the Cilantro separate because a surprising number of people don't like it.

Bean Salad for Health and Detoxification:

Beans are great. They are high in fiber, healthy carbohydrates and proteins, and low in fat with no saturated fats. Brightly colored peppers are full of anti-oxidants and nutrients as well as fiber. Cilantro is a great heavy metal detox for your liver. Garlic and Onions are full of anti-oxidants but also have anti-bacterial/anti-viral properties. And both are known to improve circulation and lower blood pressure, and garlic is a known cholesterol fighter. Raw, unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar is a great detoxifier and total body cleanser. Eating bean salad daily or multiple times a week for any meal is a great way to keep your body happy and healthy.

I have used Flax oil in the past, 1 Tablespoon per serving. Flax oil is high in Omega Fatty Acids and is a great intestinal toner.

Vegan Not-A-Derby Pie

1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

2 "eggs" (2 Tablespoons Flaxseed meal, 5 T water)

1/2 cup Oil

1 cup chopped Walnuts

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons Bourbon, Optional

1 frozen pie shell (most store bought are vegan)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients and scrape into pie shell. Bake for 55 minutes.  Let cool before slicing.  Serve with vegan vanilla ice cream.  This pie is super rich so I suggest cutting into 12 slices.