Gazpacho, Hummus, and Guacamole!

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

This soup combines the freshest ingredients to create a colorful bowl of vitamins A, B6, C and K, not to mention lycopene, a potent antioxidant. From http://www.self.com/

6 large heirloom tomatoes, all varieties and colors, seeded and diced (reserve seeds and juices)

1 medium red onion, diced

3/4 English or hothouse cucumber, peeled and diced

1 1/2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1 1/2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tbsp Tabasco

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil8 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, seeds and juices, along with onion, cucumber and peppers. Add cilantro, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Tabasco. Add a few pinches of salt and black pepper. Using hands or two forks, squish vegetables into a juicy soup, leaving a few big pieces. Add oil in small increments, tasting as you go. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

120 calories per serving, 7.4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 11.6 g carbohydrates,

1.9 g protein, 2.5 g fiber

~A girls best Gazpacho~

Mindy Butler
1/4 cup diced sweet onion (purple would probably work too)
1/4 cup diced anaheim or sweet red pepper
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic minced
1/3 cup diced tomato
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/3 cup V-8 juice
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinigar
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
dash of fresh lime juice
dash hot red pepper sauce
in a large cocktail shaker combine all the ingredients, tell the strolling mariachi band to play something up tempo and shake those maracas until its soup. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a little more minced cilantro, a dash of hot sauce and a slice of lime...
(this shaker method is also great for making instant chocolate pudding with cold milk... )

Garden Guacamole

Counts as 2 produce servings!and trust me its yummy!!!

Peel, pit, and mash 1 avocado.

In large bowl, combine with

2 c finely chopped tomato,

1/4 c chopped sweet onion,

1 finely chopped jalapeno chile pepper,

1/4 tsp salt.

Makes 4 Servings (about 3 c) Nutritional Info (per serving): 102 cal, 2 g pro, 9 g carb, 7.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 155 mg sodium

Herbed Chickpea Dip

Counts as 1 produce serving!

In blender, combine:

1 container (5.3 oz) fat-free Greek yogurt

2 cloves minced garlic,

2 c rinsed and drained canned chickpeas,

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c minced fresh parsley blend until smooth.

Serve with 4 c cucumber spears and pita crisps. Makes 4 Servings (about 2 c). Nutritional Info (per serving): 200 cal, 12 g pro, 35 g carb, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 7 g fiber, 250 mg sodium

Guacamole you'll want to gorge on

Mindy Butler
*remember the key to great quacamole is the lime and salt...*
2 soft and ready to mash avocados (3 if they're small)
3 plum tomatos diced
1/2 to 1 red onion diced depending on taste
a handfull of diced cilantro
fresh lime juice from 1 large lime
salt and pepper to taste
Mash the avocados, and mix in the rest of the ingredients. eat with your favorite corn chips, tacos, enchiladas, or straight from your spoon- its that good! optional variations: adda dash hot red pepper sauce... 3 if you like to spice things up! i add this to practically everything but its optional if you're sensitive to spice...

Another variation is to add some toasted cumin for flavor (goes well with hummus and pita.) Just warm a saute pan, add a tablespoon of cumin, stir and warm until it browns- remove from heat- add to the guac and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
from http://happythings.typepad.com/photos/food/index.html

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 /4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups cranberries, chopped (frozen work well)Coarse sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, beat eggs and mix in pumpkin and oil. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until just moist and fold in cranberries. Pour into lined and greased muffin tin and top with coarse sugar. Bake for 20-25 min. Makes 12 muffins (or one large loaf - baked longer.)

Fast-Food Lover’s Homemade Fix: Sweet Potato Fries

Smart, satisfying snacks to feed your cravings
There’s a good reason you crave fries and other starchy foods. They’re delicious.
“When you get really hungry, the only thing that really satisfies is starch, and fries are one of the most popular sources in the American diet,” says Roberta Anding, R.D., a Houston-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Of course, a high-carbohydrate diet has been blamed for everything from obesity to heart disease (remember Atkins?). But you don’t need to cut out carbs, you just need to switch to smarter complex carbs. Complex carbs have not been refined and stripped of their benefits. “Potato peels have lots of vitamin A, C, and minerals, but French fries are peeled, so none of the nutrients are left,” she says. Even smarter: Try this “fried” potato recipe with sweet rather than white potatoes and you’ll get a whopping dose of cancer-fighting fiber and beta-carotene.
(extra tip- don't let yourself get so hungy you crave the carbs- fill up on protein and fiber to help cut carb cravings!)

Fast-Food Lover’s Homemade Fix:

Sweet Potato Fries
2 large sweet potatoes, (about 2 pounds), peeled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp reduced-fat grated Parmesan
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Non-fat cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Slice the sweet potatoes into long matchsticks about1/4 inch in thickness. Place in a zipper lock bag with the olive oil, salt, and soy sauce. Spread out the fries in one even layer on the cookie sheet, so they are not touching. Coat with cooking spray.3. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the fries are golden on the outside and soft on the inside. Sprinkle with Parmesan, garlic and onion powder. Bake an additional 5 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Serve immediately.

Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Mindy Butler

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder With Parsley

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons Cold Pressed Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In small bowl, combine Seasoned Salt, paprika, Garlic Powder With Parsley and chili powder; set aside.In large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with Olive Oil; sprinkle with seasoning mixture and toss to coat. On jelly roll pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, arrange potatoes in single layer.Roast, turning once, 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden. Serve, if desired, with additional Seasoned Salt. 4 servings

Easy Cupcakes...

Mindy's Super Easy Cheat Cupcakes...
buy a chocolate cake mix and use that as your base
*use applesauce instead of oil- its healthier and makes the cupcake moister, and use milk instead of water.
*you can also make store boughten frosting- make it fluffy and yummier by simply taking it out of the jar and beating it with your mixer for a few minutes. it almost doubles how much frosting you get out of a jar of frosting...
* you can always add a good dash of vanilla/ cinnamon to make it a bit sweeter...
make up the mix then do whichever alteration you want:
1.) choco-orange: use OJ instead of water or milk with the mix and after frosting put a mandarin orange slice on top
2.) chocolate mint: get some Andes mints and either put one whole one in each cup afterfilling them with the mix and push it down a bit so its in the middle or chop up a bunch and stir into the mix- then frost when cool and add an Andes mint on top.
3.) buy a bottle of marchino cherrys and drain the cherry juice out- use that instead of the water or milk. then put a cherry on top once frosted!