Farm Fresh Salsa

I have the benefit of belong to an amazing organic CSA this summer where there has been an overabundance of heirloom and other varieties of tomatoes. I have been making huge batches of salsa and freezing them in quart sized freezer bags. The recipe is flexible based on what you have, what is farm fresh and how hot you like it. This is really just a guide. tomatoes are loaded with vitamin C and lycopene.

Ingredients:
jalapeno peppers
fresh garlic mined
1 bunch cilantro leaves
2 fresh limes, juiced
variety of tomatoes
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
kernels of one corn cut from the cob
black beans
avocado, diced

1. In a food processor, mince 2 cloves of fresh garlic, 1-2 jalapeno peppers, and the cilantro
2. Add the juice and flesh of 2 limes
3. process a handful of the tomatoes to create a base for the salsa
4. rough chop either in the processor or by hand the remaining tomatoes
5. Add onions and corn
6. add 1/2 cup cooked black beans and 1 diced avocado
7. My favorite variety to use from this summer's bounty has been a mild yellow tomato and Asian pear tomatoes. YUM! Enjoy on everything from chips to grilled chicken and chili.

Blueberry Oat Muffins

These are the most delicious blueberry muffins you will ever eat. I made a huge batch after my family and I picked blueberries at a local farm.

Ingredients:
1 cup millet
3 cups oat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flax seed meal
3 eggs
8 oz unsweetened apple sauce
12 oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
3 cups or so of fresh blueberries
3 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

1. Combine all wet ingredients and mix well
2. Add dry ingredients and blend
3. Add blueberries and mix well
4. Spray muffin tins with canola oil
5. Drizzle honey on top of muffins and sprinkle with rolled oats and millet
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes

Bananna Bread with a Twist

This is a healthy take on banana bread. Bananas are however a high gylcemic food so this may not be for you if sugars are a concern. Another way to prepare this would be to increase the flours and beans so that the bananas are spread over a larger amount of breads.

Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas mashed
1 large sweet potato, shredded
12 pecans chooped
1 cup cannelini beans cooked soft and pureed, may need a few tablespoons of water to process smooth
1 cup cooked lentils processed smooth, again witha  few tablespoons of water
6 oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup barley malt
1 tsp cinnamom
1 cup millert
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup oat flourr
1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup rolled oats

1. Combine bananas, beans, lentils, yogurt, egg and vanilla
2. Add shredded sweet potato and barley malt until well combined
3. Add remaining ingredients
4. Pour batter into greased bread pans and bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean

Chewey Pumpkin Granola Bars

This is an awesome mid-day snack, very filling and yummy. Perfect with a cup of steaming hot green tea.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unprocessed bran
1/2 wheat flakes
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup flax seed meal
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup white beans cooked soft and pureed
1 can organic pumpkin
6 oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (can replace with barley malt if concerned about sugars)
5 dried apricots chopped and soaked in hot water
5 dried dates chopped and soaked in hot water
raw pumpkin seeds and raw sliced almonds

1. Toast oats and wheat flakes in a dry skillet over medium heat
2. In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients including toasted oats and wheat flakes
3. Add wet ingredients and blend until well moistened. Mixture should be moist but not too wet and not too crumbly
4. Line a 9x13 glass Pyrex dish with parchment paper
5. Spread mixture and using a piece of parchment paper press the mixture into the pan so it is even and smooth
6. Sprinkle raw pumpkin seeds and raw sliced almonds on top and press in to top of mixture
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
8. Cut into bars and cool completely on a wire rack

Snack Balls (These need a new name!)

Snack balls are one of my best creations yet. Four balls carried my training partner and I through our long training walks for the 3-day.  These can also be made into bars but I like the balls because they get crunchy on the outside and stay soft on the inside. I always make a large batch and freeze them.

Please help me rename these delightful snacks!!!! Snack Balls just doesn't do it justice.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked and pureed chick peas (You may need to add a few tablespoons of water when pureeing the chickpeas to get a smooth consistency)
12 oz plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup raw almond butter
4 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp almond extract
1 cup shredded unsweetened and reduced fat coconut (a steam process if used to reduce the fat. This can be found at Whole Foods)
1 egg
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup flax seed meal
1 1/2 cup millet
1 cup oat bran
1/2 cup barley malt
1/2 cup yellow raisins, 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries, and 5 dried dates  chopped (to keep them moist during baking soak in hot water before adding to the recipe)
1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 - 1/2  cup sunflower seeds (add or subtract based on taste)

1. Combine chickpeas, yogurt, barley malt, and extracts and blend
2. Add egg and blend
3. Add coconut, oats, flax seed meal and blend
4. Add millet and oat bran and blend
5. Add dried fruits and carob and blend
6. Batter should hold together while not being too crumbly
7. Spoon out small amounts and roll into balls
8. Roll balls into any of the following: unsweetened cocoa, unsweetened coconut, raw sliced almonds, sesame seeds (My favorites are coconut and cocoa)
9. Place balls on parchment paper on a cookie sheet
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in to crisp
11. This can also be baked into bars by using a glass Pyrex dish and lining it with parchment paper and spreading dough out. On top you can rake raw almond butter or peanut butter to add an interesting consistency. The balls are a super nutritious snack for kids and offer a much larger nutritional punch than the average packaged granola bar.

Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans

Pecans have been shown to help the digestability of sweet potatoes. They are high in fat though so I usually just add them on top of this bread as more of an accent than a major ingredient.

Ingredients
2 cups of baked sweet potatoes, peeled and mashed
2 cups oat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup barley malt
2 T baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 T skim milk
2 egg white
1 whole egg
1 cup apple sauce (If you are concerned about sugars you can always leave this out and increase the amount of  barley malt which has a lower glycemic index)
1 T cinnamon
1 T nutmeg
5 dried dates ground (these add sweetness to the bread but can be left out if sugars are a concern)

1. Combine sweet potato with cinnamon and nutmeg adn blend
2. Add milk, egg and egg whites
3. Add baking soda and powder
4. Add remaining dry ingredients and blend
5. grease mini bread pans
6. Add 1-3 pecans on the top of each bread before baking
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 20  minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Pumpkin Bread with Fresh Cranberries

1 1/2 cups of oat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 rolled oats
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 barley malt
4 T skim milk
3 egg whites
2 T pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 egg whites
1 cup fresh cranberries chopped

1. Combine apple sauce, egg whites, milk and blend
2. Add flours, oatmeal and flaxseed meal
3. Add baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice
4. Add cranberries and mix well
5. Pour batter into a greased bread pan and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.