Egg Salad Sandwich from Happy Chickens!

Today for lunch I hard boiled a couple of farm-fresh eggs from my mom's happy chickens in Maryland (I just went down for a visit). The difference between most store-bought eggs and fresh eggs from a local farm is amazing! They taste fresher and the yolk is a beautiful, bright orange rather than the dull yellow we are used to seeing in older eggs. Plus, I love that I was there to take these eggs right out of the nest. The blue/green eggs are from the aricona chickens.


The chickens to the right are Fiona and Maude, and the rooster is Ricardo. Fiona (in the middle) is an aricona.

For the egg salad mixture, I chopped the two hard boiled eggs and added fresh parsley from the herbs in my kitchen, some diced red onion, paprika and organic mayo. I don't typically measure out these quantities, but my guess would be 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons red onion, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon organic mayo. Salt and pepper to taste. This is such a simple but YUMMY combination!

I then spread about half the egg salad on a slice of organic spelt bread, topped with baby spinach leaves, slice of tomato and three slices of avocado, saving the rest for tomorrow. Et voila!!

Dinner Last Night

My sister and her husband are up from Maryland visiting, and last night I made dinner for us and my husband. Somehow it ended up looking (and, I think, tasting) like quite the gourmet meal! I wanted to share what I did - no recipes, no exact measurements, which is how I usually cook - just throw it all together and hope for the best! Those of you who are pros in the kitchen (I may know a fair amount, but I'm no professional chef), please feel free to offer some tips as you see fit. :)

Stuffed Butternut Squash
I cooked about 1.5 cups of spelt berries in my rice cooker and added that about the same amount of leftover brown rice from the previous night. In a pan with olive oil, I combined fresh sage and parsley (growing in my kitchen), 4 medium celery stalks, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, 2 scallions, 1 shallot, garlic and a little salt - all finely chopped (heavy on the sage). Let that cook for 6-7 minutes then added the rice/spelt combination and heated for another 5 minutes.

In the meantime, at 400 degrees, I quartered a large butternut squash, cleaned out the seeds and baked on a baking pan for 30 minutes. I then took the rice mixture and scooped it on/in the four pieces of squash.

Greens
Simple - sauteed swiss chard and beet greens in a little olive oil and ended up adding a bit of water too - tossed in the pot and cooked about 5 minutes.

Beets
I don't usually cook beets the "proper" way, but instead peeled 3 medium beets, sliced into coins and boiled in water for about 10 minutes. Let them cool, then sprinkled some goat cheese, candied pecans and olive oil on top.

Falafel
These were not homemade and probably not necessary, because the rest was plenty of food, but they are so tasty. Plus, I wanted my sister and brother-in-law to try them. You can buy falafel patties or mini patties in the freezer section. I get the Papou's Kitchen brand (from Portland). I simply sauteed two minis per person in a pan with olive oil, a few minutes on each side.

That was it! I will post some photos later on, because my camera is not with me at the moment. Happy Friday!

Creamed Sesame Dandelion Greens

I had such a delicious dinner tonight, and I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes I included, from the Greens Glorious Greens cookbook: Creamed Sesame Dandelions! Dandelion greens (that's right - the leaves from the dandelions growing in your yard!) have a bitter taste that may take some getting used to, but in this recipe, the bitterness is masked well by the tahini and garlic. Dandelion greens are so beneficial to our health, so it's worth a little bitterness. This recipe also uses calcium-rich tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds). I'm sorry I didn't include a photo - my husband and I gobbled them up before I could think twice about it!

Creamed Sesame Dandelions

2 cups water

1 pound dandelion greens, washed, stemmed and shopped into small pieces

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt to taste

2 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoons tamari (naturally brewed soy sauce)

freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Bring two cups of water to a boil in large 10 or 12 inch skillet with a tight fitting lid. Add chopped dandelions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the cooked dandelion greens and set aside (you can save the liquid broth to drink as a hot tea - I know, may sound scary, but I do like it).

2. Heat oil over low to medium heat in the skillet and saute the garlic slices for 1 to 2 minutes, until light golden brown. Stir in the pre-cooked dandelion greens and a pinch of salt if desired. Cover to cook over low and heat for 1 to 2 minutes to let flavors mingle.

3. In small bowl, combine tahini, water and tamari and mix until creamy. Pour sauce into the pan with cooked freens and stir until thoroughly mixe. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

This recipe is a yummy and healthier alternative to a traditional cream of broccoli soup. There's no dairy and contains two essential foods: whole grains and green veggies. All real, whole food goodness, and it's super easy to make! Husband tested and approved! It's located on the Institute for Integrative Nutrition website, where you can also find dozens of wonderful recipes that are simple and of course, nutritious!

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Black Bean Oat Brownies

Since this recipe has been in high demand lately, I thought I would post it for everyone. There are many black bean brownie recipes out there, and the main idea is to replace processed, refined flour with protein and fiber-rich black beans. It also uses agave nectar (or can substitue maple sysrup or brown rice syrup) so that you are using a lower-glycemic and natural sweetener - a much better choice than white sugar! This recipe originally came from my aunt (who is also a health counselor) Amie Hall of From Your Inside Out, and I've made some changes. It is AMAZING! Give it a try - easy to make, delicious and a good choice for a chocolatey brownie. Enjoy!


Black Bean Oat Brownies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes
Yields: 32 small brownies

Ingredients:
12 oz. organic chocolate (can use chocolate chips or carob chips)
16 oz. can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
3 organic or local eggs
1/2 - 2/3 cup agave nectar, brown rice syrup or real maple syrup
3 tablespoons organic coconut oil (use refined for no coconut flavor)
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1/2 cup organic rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place chips in a heat resistant bowl in pot of a boiling water until melted. Can use microwave if preferred (stir and check every 30 seconds to avoid burning).
3. Melt coconut oil using same method as chocolate.
4. Combine all ingredients in blender or food processer and blend until smooth, scraping sides as needed.
5. Pour batter into one 9 X 13 pan or two 8” or 9” square pans sprayed with organic olive oil or greased with butter.
6. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes.
7. Allow to cool or place in refrigerator, cut and serve.

©2009 Kendall Scott Wellness
Adapted from Amie G. Hall - From Your Inside Out

Quick and Easy Breakfast

I often have days when I REALLY don't want to take the time to make breakfast and perhaps need something I can bring with me in the car. I've found one of the greatest breakfasts is a smoothie with all natural ingredients. You can add so many different foods to provide you with an energizing, sustaining breakfast. Remember to buy local and/or organic when you can. Here's one to try:

8 oz. Rice or Almond milk
1 Banana
1/2 Avocado
2 T. shredded coconut
1/2 cup berries (fresh or frozen - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
Handful of leafy greens (baby spinach, swiss chard, kale, beet greens)
Add 1 tspn Honey if added sweetness is desired