Cocoa Dusted Almonds

This is for all you chocolate lovers out there!!!  Forget those chocolate bars with almonds. Most of them are filled with too much sugar and fat!  We don't want that!!  What we DO want is chocolate and I don't need to explain why!  We also want almonds because they are delicious, rich in protein, and good for us!

Here's my Cynfully Good way to have the best of both!

Cocoa Dusted Almonds!

Yes, I know you can buy these in the store. Don't be tempted!
Those little packages of  Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds sound really good and healthy but have you seen the ingredients??

First of all, the package says CHOCOLATE FLAVOR! This means, what tastes like chocolate isn't really ALL chocolate. Some of that flavor is ARTIFICIAL!
This is right off the label:

dry roasted almonds, modified food starch, natural and artifical flavors, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), salt, acesulfame potassium, sucralose!!

It take less than two minutes to make up your own batch of Cocoa Dusted Almonds!! Honestly!


What you need:

 A good quality, unsweetened, organic dark cocoa powder. I love Rapunzel cocoa powder.

Order it here: Rapunzel Organic Products










You will also need a cup of roasted almonds (unsalted) -

organic whole cane sugar (this is minimally processed and better for you than white, processed sugar)

a small brown paper bag

Mix together a tablespoon or two of the cocoa powder and a teaspoon of the sugar. It's not necessary to add the sugar but if you are looking for something slightly sweet, go right ahead. Adjust the amount of sugar to your preference, just don't go crazy with it. This is supposed to be a healthy treat!!

Place the almonds in the brown bag. Add the cocoa and sugar mixture. Hold the bag closed and shake, shake, shake until the almonds are covered!!

Pour out into a bowl and snack away!!

This recipe will serve 3 to 4 people so be sure to share with others............  :)

Or be a little selfish and keep them all for yourself. Eat a small handful and store the rest in a closed, airtight container.

Quinoa Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

What can be more Cynfully Good than this? My two favorite foods in the world: quinoa and portabella mushrooms- the perfect marriage of delicious taste and wholesome goodness.

I can't rave enough about quinoa. It's a miracle grain and a complete protein. Nutty and delicious, quinoa is a staple in my home. I eat it hot with fresh blueberries, a splash of almond milk and a drizzle of organic maple syrup for breakfast. I toss leftover quinoa into salads for lunch.  I use quinoa as stuffing for acorn squash and eggplant or as a simple side dish instead of rice or potatoes for dinner.

Portabella mushrooms are my salvation when I want to sink my teeth into something thick and juicy. I grill them to perfection and pile them high on whole wheat buns and serve them with all the fixing's.  They're perfect at barbeque's instead of unhealthy burgers and hot dogs. I add chopped portabella mushrooms to salads, mix them into homemade lasagna and my delicious Vegan Eggplant Parmigiana. Portabella mushrooms are luscious and satisfying.  Did you know mushrooms are the only natural source of Vitamin D besides the sun? Eat them often.

Here is a recipe for Quinoa Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms from Made Just Right.  This dish is simple, healthy and impressive enough to serve to guests.

• 1 cup(s) of quinoa
• 1 1/2 cup(s) of cold water
• 6 medium-large portabella mushroom caps (save the stems)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup(s) of onion, diced
• 2/3 cup(s) of peas
• 2/3 cup(s) of tomato, diced
• 2/3 cup(s) of yellow bell pepper (or any color will do!)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of Earth Balance natural buttery spread, original
• 1 tsp. of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle
• 1 tbsp. of cooking oil to saute

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In medium sauce pan, add quinoa and water; bring to boil (add optional pinch of salt), cover with tight fitting lid and turn heat down to simmer. Cook 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in medium saute pan, heat cooking oil and saute chopped mushroom stems, garlic and onion over medium heat. Add a dash of salt and pepper with 1/2 tbsp. Earth Balance natural butter spread. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring
4. Add diced tomato, bell pepper, and onion mixture to quinoa along with salt, pepper & garlic salt. Add additional tbsp. Earth Balance natural buttery spread. Mix thoroughly and let it finish cooking with the lid on.
5. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay washed and dried mushroom caps out on sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
6. Carefully stuff each mushroom cap with quinoa mixture and bake in oven for about 20-25 minutes.

These are perfect to serve as appetizers or even as a main dish with steamed greens and crusty, whole grain bread.  

Lip Gloss Good Enough to Eat.............

I adore finding new and exciting products and here is one I think most ladies are going to LOVE!
Certified organic lip gloss made with products that are good enough to actually eat.

YUMMY!!!

And.....there are anti-oxidants thrown into the mix so these glosses are actually GOOD for your lips, too!  :)


I always wear lipstick or lip gloss but sometimes, the products taste down-right awful- even the natural types. So if I can taste it, what does my guy think when he kisses me?  If my lips taste artificial or waxy he might not want a second kiss......

I want my lips to be sweet, kissable and unforgettable........don't you?

Intelligent Nutrients Natural Lip Gloss to the rescue!!!

Here's the link:
Intelligent Nutrients Natural Lip Gloss

This is Cynfully Good stuff!!!

Cynfully Good O. J.

My dad LOVES orange juice. He drinks a glass every morning.  Many people do.  Lately, my mom has been complaining about the cost of a carton of orange juice, so I suggested she do what I do--- make it herself!

It's really easy, inexpensive, and when you squeeze your own juice from fresh oranges, you are getting all that juice and vitamin C and NOTHING else! No added sugar, no preservatives- just orange juice.

You might be rolling your eyes at me right about now. Who has the time to squeeze fresh orange juice?  Yes, it's so much easier to just open a carton and pour. But my way is so simple, you will never buy orange juice again!

Here's what you need:

2 oranges (organic are best but if you can't find them or the cost is outrageous, use conventional oranges and scrub the skins well before using)

a fork

a small juice glass

Cut each orange in half.  Hold  the orange half over the juice glass. Take your fork and insert it into the orange flesh and twist the fork so the juice begins to pour out into the glass.  Two oranges should fill your glass. If desired, scrap the orange flesh with the fork into your glass as well for O.J. with pulp. If you like your orange juice very cold, put the oranges in the fridge the night before.

This literally takes less than a minute to do and you are getting a glass of pure, natural, un-adulterated juice. All you need is a small glass. Forget those big glasses of O.J!  No one should be starting their day with THAT much sugar- natural or not!

I drink a glass of this every day. My son woke up with a little sore throat this morning, so I made him a glass, as well.

And.....here's a little beauty secret. A couple of times a week, I reserve a tiny bit of my freshly squeezed O.J., dip a cotton ball into the glass, and use it as a toner on my face! The citrus fragrance perks me right up.  I love doing this because I am feeding my skin pure, living energy!  It makes my face feel fresh and healthy.  Use caution if your skin is very sensitive, however. If stinging occurs, dip a cotton ball into some milk and wipe over your face to soothe it. And always avoid your eyes!!

Sugar Free, Vegan Carrot Cake

I very rarely eat sweets. I never really crave cookies, pie or cake.  Chocolate does absolutely nothing for me. I know!  I am not normal.................

These past few weeks, I have been looking around for a little sumthin' sumthin' to have with my evening tea.  This is highly unusual behavior for me.

There are a couple of explanations for this sudden passion and desire for something sweet.  I mean, come ON! I do this for a living, so you know I've been analyzing myself! 

Eventually, I'll get around to sharing with you the reasons why I want sweet treats right now.  In the mean time, here are my thoughts about sweet cravings: SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GO WITH IT!

Can I satisfy my sweet cravings and still stay true to my healthy, nourishing way of eating?

ABSOLUTELY!

I stumbled upon this delicious recipe for carrot cake. YUMMY! I love carrot cake AND carrots are healthy! It's completely VEGAN and made with whole wheat flour (also good for me--I have no issues with wheat or gluten). This luscious cake is sweetened with fruit, dates and orange juice. NO SUGAR!  How wonderful is that? I can even toss a handful of chopped walnuts or almonds into the batter for a little extra protein and some good fat. Good fat from nuts will help me manage stress.  Stress is the reason I am craving sweets in the first place!

This cake smells so amazing when it's baking in the oven. My house is filled with the aroma of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg............ all warming scents that remind me how much I love the fall and everything that comes with it: apple picking, carving pumpkins, Halloween, Thanksgiving......

Making, baking and tasting this cake makes me feel so much better about everything! It's a total body, mind, spirit experience.

Here's the recipe:

Sugar Free, Vegan Carrot Cake

Enjoy................

Guiltless Eggplant Parm

If you love Eggplant Parmigiana but don't want all the fat, cheese, bread crumbs and frying-- I have the PERFECT recipe! I must tell you, however, if the only way you can tolerate eggplant is when it is completely smothered in sauce and cheese, this particular dish might not be for you. But if you are like me, and love the taste and the texture of eggplant, you will thoroughly enjoy this healthier version of Eggplant Parm!

Eggplant is the perfect food for Vegetarians and Vegans. It's meaty texture is perfect if you are looking for something to really sink your teeth into. Eggplant is so versatile. It can be fried, baked, grilled, steamed, roasted or even stuffed.  If you think you don't really like eggplant, try slicing it thinly. Sometimes when it's too thick, it can a bit overwhelming.

Eggplant Parmigiana is my favorite dish, and even though it's a meatless meal, the traditional version is far from healthy. I've tried skipping the whole frying step and just adding extra sauce and baking it. This is a hit or miss, however. Sometimes it comes out great, other times, it's down right awful! And all that cheese and sauce and breadcrumbs, who needs it?

Here's my version of Guiltless Eggplant Parm:

1 large eggplant sliced into rounds about 1/2 ")
olive oil
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1- 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 cup shredded Vegan mozzarella (Galaxy shredded works great)
whole wheat breadcrumbs (about a 1/4 of a cup)

Fire up your grill. I use my George Foreman grill during the cold winter months. Works perfectly. Brush each egglplant slice with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Grill about 5 minutes on each side.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take a portion of the grilled eggplant rounds and place on the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon a small amount of the tomatoes on top. Don't saturate the eggplant, just kind dollop the tomatoes on top. You don't want it to be to sauce-y. You won't be using the entire can of tomatoes in this recipe, maybe about half of it. Sprinkle lightly with some of the breadcrumbs and a handful of the cheese. Again, just a light layer of each. Top with more eggplant slices and repeat.  Be sure to reserve some of the shredded mozzarella cheese for later. Sprinkle the final layer with remaining breadcrumbs and place in the oven for about 15 minutes. Add the remaining cheese to the top and return to the oven for about five minutes or until melted.

Remove from oven and allow to settle for about five more minutes. Slice and serve warm.

Delicious, guiltess, Vegan, Eggplant Parm! This is so Cynfully Good, you will not believe it!!!

Enjoy :)

Pan Fried Potatoes

When I find a recipe I really like, I do two things:

1. Race to the store and buy the ingredients (in case I don't have them on hand) and MAKE it myself.

2. Share it with you by posting it on my blog. Usually, I copy or cut and paste the recipe here.  Most of the time, I use the original photo of the dish because my version is NEVER camera ready--it just doesn't look as appetizing as theirs does. I post the recipes here because.....well.... I am in business and I want you to visit MY site. It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge the original owner of the recipe and include a link to their site, so I am always careful about giving credit where credit is due.  If I didn't, that would be sort of stealing, no?

I stumbled across this recipe today for pan fried potatoes.  I was in luck-- I had a potato right here at home, so I made it and it was delicious! But I just couldn't copy this recipe and post it here because the original was just so clever and adorable. I want you all to see it.  I am sure it will make you smile.  The whole website is really great- filled with delicious Korean recipes. 

Here's the site and the recipe:

Beyond Kimichee-Pan Fried Potatoes 

I hope you find it as Cynfully Good as I did.................

Chick Pea Burgers With Tahini Sauce

For those of you still not convinced eating well can be totally satisfying.
For the nay-sayers in the bunch who believe they simply cannot live with hamburgers, chicken or steak......
I am here to prove you WRONG!

Just look at this BURGER!! Completely vegan (no animal products), loaded with lots of healthy stuff and bursting with life. Just looking at the photo makes me feel energized! And the taste? It's Cynfully Good! More than good.....it's absolutely DELICIOUS!!

This recipe comes from the 30 Day Vegan Challenge.

Enjoy............


The Burgers
1-15 oz can garbanzo beans (Chick Peas), drained and rinsed
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons tahini
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup plain bread crumbs
4 whole grain buns or pita pockets

The Sauce
1- 6oz container plain non-dairy yogurt
1 -2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 -2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor until thick and pasty. (You may mash them by hand,but it is a little more labor-intensive and time-consuming.)

Transfer to a medium-size bowl. To the bowl, add the onion, garlic, parsley, tahini, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, cay-enne pepper, lemon juice, and baking powder. Slowly add the bread crumbs until the mix-ture holds together. Add more bread crumbs, as needed.

Shape into patties.

Place on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Using a spatula, flip each patty over, and cook for 10–12 minutes more until theother side is golden brown. Remove from the oven. Alternatively, you may fry the patties with a little oil in a pan on the stovetop.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the yogurt, tahini, cucumber, lemon juice, parsley, salt,and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes, and serve with the chickpea burgers,along with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a bun or in a pita pocket.

Scrambled Tofu

I try not to rely too heavily on processed soy products (soy burgers and alternative meat products made from soy) but they are good to have on hand for quick meals.  I also don't depend on tofu as my sole source of protein but I always keep a block of it in my fridge.

One of the best ways to prepare tofu is to scramble it, like eggs, in a frying pan. It cooks up beautifully and if you add tumeric for color, it will look exactly like scrambled eggs. Tofu is basically tasteless so it immediately adopts the flavors with which it's cooked or seasoned.   If you play around with different spices, add lots of veggies like chopped fresh onions, garlic, peppers, spinach or even some meltted veggie cheese, no one will ever guess they are not eating real eggs!

Here is a basic recipe for scrambled tofu. Add whatever you want to the mix to make it special. I love adding onions, peppers and a spoonful of mild salsa. Sometimes I make this for breakfast, pile into a whole wheat wrap and roll it up. A delicious, healthy, Cynfully Good meal on the go!

• 1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

Drain excess water off of tofu and place it in the center of a non-stick or greased skillet. Using a spatula, break tofu up into thick cubes. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the tofu releases its water. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Continue to cook and stir for another 5-10 minutes, breaking tofu chunks into smaller pieces so the consistency resembles scrambled eggs. Add a splash of non-dairy milk or lemon juice if the tofu starts to dry out or stick to the skillet. Once the tofu has the right consistency, is yellow in color and is thoroughly warm, add additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Nuts for Nutella?

Everyone is nuts for Nutella. If you don't what know it is, Nutella is a rich, delicious, spread made from hazelnuts and chocolate! What could be better than that?

 You can spread Nutella on toast, croissants, waffles, in between layers of home-made cake. Use it as a dip for apples, bananas, strawberries.  Or you can just eat it out right out of the jar with a spoon on a really bad day! It's good for you! That's the claim to fame, anyway. 




You've seen the TV commercial with the healthy, fit, super- busy mom serving Nutella to her kids for breakfast. She feels confident that when she serves this, her kids are getting a good, healthy, nutritious meal they will enjoy. In fact, Nutella's whole advertising campaign is this: Trick your kids into eating healthier by spreading Nutella all over whole grain products. Boom! Healthy Breakfast!

Read it here: Nutella Tips for Moms

Hmmmm..........

You know me. I never believe anything especially when it comes to food. I must do the research before I eat something or encourage anybody else to do so. Nutella is the one food clients continuously ask me about. What could be wrong with it?  It's basically hazelnuts and chocolate that claims to be healthy. This is Nirvana in a jar!

You could do worse than Nutella. I actually know people who eat entire cans of chocolate cake frosting. YUCK!! Better to go with Nutella.

But is Nutella healthy?

Let's dissect a jar:

The claim: a nutritious product with no artificial colors or preservatives and over fifty hazelnuts  in each jar!  Sounds good. Nuts are good...........

Here are the actual ingredients in a jar of Nutella (in order):

sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), lecithin as emulsifier (soy), vanillin (an articifical flavor).  See for yourself: Nutella Ingredients

First of all: hazelnuts are not the main ingredient. Sugar is. In fact, there are 21 grams of sugar in a serving of Nutella. Exactly how much is 21 grams? 5.25 teaspoons of sugar. In one serving!!

Each serving is 200 calories- half of those calories are from fat. That's a lot of sugar and fat for a so-called nutritious food.

The cocoa and hazelnuts in Nutella are pretty self explanatory but neither of these products are organic and I'm pretty sure they don't use the highest quality cocoa or hazelnuts.

Palm Oil? I don't have enough space here to talk about cheap, disgusting palm oil, but you can read it for yourself, right here:  Palm Oil

And for those who need or want to avoid dairy products- forget it. Nutella contains milk and milk products. NOT VEGAN!!!

Soy Lecithin: an emulsifier and another cheap, unhealthy ingredient added to prevent Nutella from separating in the jar. It also extends shelf life and helps the product appear more appetizing by improving appearance and consistency. Soy Lecithin Dangers

Last but not least: Vanillin. That's an artificial flavor. It's used as an inexpensive substitute for real vanilla. Why can't they just use natural vanilla extract in here? If you suffer from migraine headaches, check your labels. Vanillin could be to blame.

Nutella isn't cheap either. It will cost you about $3.99 for a small jar. I literally laughed out loud when I recently read about a well-intentioned mom who bought it. Her kids found it and ate the entire jar in matter of minutes! They all got sick. Kind of defeats the whole purpose, doesn't it?

First of all, why do we need to trick our kids with chocolate for breakfast? What's wrong with good old fashioned natural peanut butter spread on toast or waffles? Toss on a few banana slices and you have a delicious, nutritious, protein packed meal. Giving kids chocolate first thing in the morning is setting them up to crave such treats every day. They will never settle for anything less.

Nutella won't kill you, but it isn't the wisest choice if you are serious about health, wellness, and weight loss.

If you are a Nutella addict, don't be discouraged. I have an alternative.............

This recipe is for those days when you're craving Nutella or want to give the kids a treat.  This is easy, inexpensive, delicious and GOOD FOR YOU!  This is so good that I suggest you only make it in very small quantities. If you keep big containers of this stuff around, you'll be tempted to keep digging into it with a spoon until it's all gone!

All you need is a jar of Hazelnut butter, like this one:

Organic brands are always best. Check the label to be sure there's nothing added to the jar other than hazelnuts and salt. You can also use hazelnut butter without added salt, if desired.










Unsweetened cocoa powder (buy a good brand) . Rapunzel Organic Cocoa Powder is my personal favorite. It's delicious and vegan. No milk products in there!

You will also need a little bit of sugar. I prefer Fair Trade Raw Cane Sugar Granules.

Here's what you do:

In a small bowl combine one half a cup of hazelnut butter with one tablespoon of raw sugar (that's three teaspoons; you can use less if desired), and one tablespoon of the unsweetened cocoa. Mix well and serve!

That's it!! This recipe yields about three servings. This is more than enough to spread all over everything, with a little left over to lick right off the spoon. :)

Enjoy!!.

Warm Quinoa

I absolutely LOVE quinoa! It is the most nutritious and delicious grain! Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

As a Vegan, I eat quinoa often: as a side-dish (like rice), as a hot cereal (mixed with almonds, raisins and a splash of almond milk), or I used it as a stuffing for acorn squash or bell peppers.

This is a very simple, yet impressive recipe for Warm Quinoa. This is the perfect way to try quinoa for the first time or if you want to introduce friends and family to this Cynfully Good grain!


Serves 4
20-30 minutes cook time
Easy –moderate

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Quinoa (red or regular)
1 large Shallot
2 Oranges
½ lb sugar snap peas or green beans
1 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
1 bunch cilantro
Salt & pepper
¼ cup canola oil (for sautéing)
¼ honey or agave

Cook Quinoa in boiling water (4 cups water to 1 cup Quinoa- al dente) strain, keep warm
Season Quinoa with lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Cut Orange into segments and squeeze the remaining juice into a mixing bowl for vinaigrette.
Drizzle in Olive oil, add sugar or honey, salt and pepper and whisk to emulsify vinaigrette. Taste for balance.
Chop Shallot and add to Quinoa.
Chop Cilantro add to Quinoa.
Season Quinoa with lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Blanch sugar snap peas or beans for 1 minute making sure they remain crunchy. Julienne.

Mix the peas and the citrus segments in with the seasoned quinoa.

Add some of the vinaigrette into the quinoa and reserve the remainder to garnish the finished plate.

Place some of the Warm Quinoa Salad on a plate. To finish drizzle some vinaigrette around the plate along with some fresh cilantro

Recipe from: MyGloss.com

Cynfully Good Stuffed, Baked Eggplant

If you have an abundance of eggplant in your garden, you might be running out ways to cook them. How many trays of eggplant parmiagana can you possibly make?

Here is a delicious recipe for baked, stuffed eggplant from OrganicSoul.com.  I adapted it slightly to make it vegetarian/vegan.  In my version, the eggplant pulp is chopped and cooked together with a vegetarian meat alternative (instead of ground beef) and fresh vegetables and herbs. Then the mixture is stuffed back into the eggplant 'boats' and then baked.

This feeds four people and is a really impressive dish for guests. It's incredibly filling so you don't need many side dishes to go with it. Serve with a tossed green salad and warm, crusty wholegrain bread. Perfect...........

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
• salt/ pepper
• 1 package MorningStar Crumbles or Gimme Lean (vegetarian ground beef alternative)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• ¼ cup tomato paste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Remove pulp leaving ½ inch of the outer shell.  Dice the pulp.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan and then sauté the onions, garlic and meat alternative until almost done, add the mushrooms, diced eggplant pulp, spinach, fresh herbs, salt and pepper and continue to sauté an additional 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste and remove from stove.
4. Brush the inside of the eggplant shell with olive oil
5. Spoon mixture into eggplant shell and drizzle olive oil on top.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
6. Serve warm

.

Dijon Potato Salad

Here I am again, with proof that you DON'T need mayo for fabulous potato salad! This recipe is so much healthier and whole lot more interesting than the same old, boring, traditional potato salad! 

Ingredients

3 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
Salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon caper liquid from the jar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped chives or green onions
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons capers, drained

Method

Put the potatoes into a large pot. Add salt and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, caper liquid, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Cut the cooled potatoes into 1/3-inch thick slices and transfer to a large bowl. Add chives, parsley, tarragon, capers and reserved dressing and toss gently to coat. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 8oz/230g-wt.): 280 calories (140 from fat), 16g total fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 36g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 6g protein