Carrot Fruit Cake-Bread

2 big carrots - finely chopped

1c chopped frozen pineapple 

1 mashed banana

1"cube fresh ginger - minced

1 whole mandarin orange - zest and chop

1/2c coconut sugar

1/2c brown sugar

3 lg. eggs

3/4c light olive oil

3/4c sunflower kernels

- - walnuts or pecans would be better

1/2c plain Greek yogurt

1T white balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350° Chop, zest, mash and combine everything above, in a medium glass bowl. In a larger bowl, whisk together the following dry ingredients:

1T cinnamon

1/2T baking soda

1/2T baking powder

2T ground chia + flax

1t salt

1c corn flour

2-1/2c all purpose flour

Pour the bowl of well combined wet ingredients into the flour bowl. Working quickly with a big silicone spatula, fold and combine these into a heavy batter. Today I transferred this to a buttered and sugared 8"x12"x2" glass baking pan to make a snack-coffee cake. This would have also made wonderful  muffins! Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes. If making muffins, cut the baking time way down, start with 20 minutes then do the toothpick test. Let the cake cool an hour before cutting.

My daughter was here while this was cooling. She suggested a cream cheese drizzle to accentuate the flavors. I didn't have cream cheese, so instead made this butter-cinnamon-vanilla glaze:

3T melted butter

1t Mexican vanilla

1c powdered sugar

1t cinnamon

2T heavy cream

Mix these together until smooth in a small bowl. Pour and spread over the top. 

Have fun with your creative combinations. . .Lin

Broccoli-Craisin Salad

3/4c craisins

1t fresh ground black pepper

1/4c fig white balsamic vinegar

Mix these 3 ingredients in a medium glass bowl first thing, to rehydrate the craisins.

4 green onions

2 med. broccoli crowns

1/2c sunflower kernels

1/2c± mayonnaise

1/2t turbinado sugar

1-2T fresh lemon juice

a pinch of salt

Slice the green onions, separate the broccoli into florets. Finely slice-chop the tender part of the stems. Put onion and broccoli into the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, gently mix everything together. Refrigerate an hour before serving. . .Lin

Spaghetti Squash with Vegetable Sauce

2 spaghetti squash

coconut oil spray

garlic and herb seasoning

finely ground black pepper

1 big carrot

2 big celery ribs

5 lg. garlic cloves
1c sunflower seeds

1-2T EVOO

1-2T white balsamic vinegar

⅔c marinara sauce

⅔c water

3T sour cream - optional

Pecorino Romano cheese

Scrub the outside of the squash, cut open lengthwise and soup out and discard the seeds. Spray or rub the inside of each half with coconut oil or EVOO. Season, bake in an uncovered roasting pan 40 minutes at 350°. Check to see if it's done, if so turn heat off, cover and leave in the oven with the door open a bit for another 10 minutes. If it needs a little more time, cover and continue to cook another 10 minutes.

Chop then sauté the vegetables and everything in that group, over low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the marinara and water, cover and simmer another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft-tender. Add the sour cream just before plating. Put each squash half in a soup bowl. Use a big spoon to fluff up the squash. Spoon on about ¼ of the hot sauce, add some finely chopped cheese. Cover a few minutes until the cheese melts.

This is a great vegetarian 'casserole.'
It could also be served as a side dish with simply cooked fish, chicken or beef. . .Lin

Nutty-Cruciferous Vegetable Cheese Casserole

6-8 garlic cloves

½c sunflower kernels

⅓c butter cut in 'pats'

½ med. head cauliflower - sliced-cubed

2 med. carrots - scrubbed-chopped

1 med. green cabbage - 1" cubes

1 med. purple onion - chopped

1½c chopped celery and tops

1 poblano pepper - sliced

6-8 green onions - sliced

1T Rosemary Seasoning

1t-1T Lemon Pepper

1¾c vegetable-beef bone broth *

3T flour

1T sugar

¼c half & half

4 slices American cheese

½-¾ grated Italian Kasseri cheese

In a saucepan, combine the garlic, sunflower kernels and a little of the butter.  Heat and stir until the butter melts and begins to sizzle.  Remove from the heat.  Put the next group of vegetables into a small-medium black roasting pan.  Pour the butter, garlic, sunflower kernels over them.  Season and top with the rest of the butter pats.  Bake, covered in a 350° oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to create the cheese sauce, combine the broth and flour in a 2qt. saucepan and whisk well.

Add remaining ingredients, whisking to keep the mixture smooth.  Bring to a low 'bubble.'



Pour over the vegetables and stir with a wooden spoon to combine the vegetable water in the bottom of the pan with the sauce, until everything is well coated.  Cover and return to a 300° oven for 20 minutes.  Uncover and cook at 400° - with or without Italian flavored panko breadcrumbs - for an additional 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. . .Lin

Zu-dles With Spicy Roasted Vegetable Sauce

12oz. mixed grape-cherry tomatoes

4-5 lg. cloves of garlic - minced

1 Vidalia onion - chopped

1-2 celery stalks - chopped

2T Italian flavored extra-virgin olive oil

2T balsamic fig vinegar

fresh ground garlic salt and pepper

8oz. tomato sauce

3oz. sun-dried tomato pesto

1-2T coriander (cilantro) chutney

3 sm.-med. zucchini

chopped celery greens

3/4c roasted-salted sunflower kernels

Parmesan cheese

Slice each tomato 3-4 times, crosswise.  Combine in a bowl with next 6 ingredients.  Spread this out on a large baking sheet, with sides.  Roast in a 390° oven for 15-20 minutes, shaking a couple times during the roasting process to keep the vegetables from sticking.  In the bowl, combine the tomato sauce, pesto and chutney.  Dry toast the sunflower kernels in a non-stick pan, to draw out the oils and increase the browning.  Add the roasted vegetables and sunflower kernels to the bowl of sauce.  Stir just to combine.

Using a spiral slicer, spiralize the zucchini.  Break the spirals apart just a little, then put them in the frying pan with the celery tops.  Cover, and heat over medium heat, just enough to bring out the liquid and steam the zucchini just a little.  Maybe 7-10 minutes.  

Serve zucchini spirals topped with the nutty, spicy, tomato sauce and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. . .Lin