Spicy Gazpacho

8 roma tomatoes - peeled
1/2 cucumber
1/2 small red onion
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp fresh parsley
3 tbsp fresh cilantro
S&P
3 dashes of Tobasco

Add the tomatoes to boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and drain. Slice the end of the tomato and remove the skin. Add everything to the food processor and blend until smooth or a bit chunky if you like. Chill and serve with fresh cilanto and avocados.

Spring is Here and that means Heather's GRILLIN'

Spring is finally here in Upstate NY!! This I am very thankful for! I was quite surprised that to see abundant sunshine and 84 degree temps, since the weatherman said partly cloudy with thunderstorms and a high of 71. So I took advantage of the fabulous weather and hit up the fish market on the way home. Time to break out the grill and get going. Tonight was Grilled Basa (fish) and Asparagus over Quinoa. It turned out great and I even have leftovers for tomorrow! Share & Enjoy!!

Grilled Basa
Foil
1 lb of Basa (2 fillets)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 lemon
S&P
Fresh Dill, chopped
1 large garlic clove, sliced thinly

Prepare a foil packet for the fish. Coat both sides of the fish with 1 tbsp of Olive Oil on each fillet. Salt and Pepper the top of the fish and sprinkle with fresh dill. Cut 6 thin slices off of a lemon and then juice the rest over the fish. Put the sliced garlic between the fillets and seal the foil packet. Place on the grill at 400 for about 10-12 minutes or until the fish is white and flaky!

Grilled Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt

Wash and trim the asparagus. Play on a plate and toss in olive oil and sea salt. Grill for about 6 minutes on the uper shelf (or off direct heat) or until starting to get soft but still has some crunch to it. I don't like mine over cooked so you can usually pick it up with your fingers and it doesn't go totally limp :)

Quinoa with Lemon and Dill
1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cup Veggie Stock
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp paparika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dill
1 lemon, juiced
1 whole garlic clove

Add all ingredients to a rice cooker and cook one cycle. Stir when done.

Add quinoa to the plate and place the fish on top. Serve with grilled asparagus!

Pizza Soup

This recipe is adapted from something that a friend posted on Facebook. I made it my own because I couldn't remember everything I was supposed to get :) This makes for a warm and yummy soup when it is cold outside.

Olive Oil
1 onion - diced
1 green pepper - diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 red pepper - diced
8-10 mushroom sliced
1 can of diced tomatoes (I used the large can)
1 jar of pizza sauce
24 oz of Veggie Stock (or Chicken/Beef if you like)
2 tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
S&P to taste

Add olive oil, onion, peppers, garlic and mushroom to a cast iron dutch oven. Saute 3- 5 minutes on medium until veggies start softening. Add all seasonings and tomatoes, stock, and pizza sauce. Stir to combine and put in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve with topped cheese and a peice of crusty bread.

This can be done in the crockpot on low for about 6-8 hours. If you would like to add sausage or ground beef you must brown the meat first. Pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, Cooked Chicken etc can be added once it is ready for the oven or in the crock pot!! Mine turned out great with just veggies :)

GFCF Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash - halved and seeded
2 sweet onions - peeled and quartered
8 cloves of garlic - peeled
10 mushrooms
1 1/2 cups of GFCF Vegetable Stock
S&P
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 375 and add everything to a roasting pan. Squash flesh side up and sprinkle everything with S&P and olive oil. Roast for 25 minutes. Turn squash over and roast another 25 minutes.

Scoop the flesh of the sqaush out and add everything to the blender. Then add:

1/2 to 1 cup of GFCF Vegetable Stock (to your thickness)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp paparika

Blend until creamy. You may add more or less of the stock until you get your desired consistency! Enjoy! This serves about 3 people.

Salsa Verde (Heather Style)

30 tomatillos (peeled and rinsed)
1 bunch cilantro
5 cloves garlic peeled
3 seeded jalapenos
2 limes juiced

Add everything to the food processor and puree. Easy, Easy Green Salsa to be used in many different things...

Homemade Salsa

25 roma tomatoes
3 jalapenos - cleaned and seeded
2 limes juiced
4 cloves of garlic
1 onion
1 bunch cilantro
S&P
Crushed Red Pepper

Add the tomatoes to boiling water for 1 minute and remove. Put a slit in the end of the tomato and hold on to the top and peel the skin away. Add tomatoes and rest of ingredients to the food processor and puree. You may have to add more salt at the end. Enjoy!

Hummus

1 large can of Garbanzos (Chick Peas)
1 Lemon Juiced
5 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 c Olive Oil
S&P
Crushed Red Pepper

Add garbanzos, lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini, S&P and crushed red pepper to the food processor. Turn on and drizzle the olive oil in. You might need a bit more so that it is not super thick.

You can add: Roasted Red Pepper (1 small jar drained) or 1 bunch of washed cilantro or extra garlic and jalapenos. Anything you like almost you can add to this. My favorites are Roasted Red Pepper and Cilantro! Enjoy

Quick & Easy Alfredo with Farm Fresh Veggies

1 bunch Swiss Chard
1 medium sweet onion
10-12 small sweet peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 jar alfredo sauce (I like Classico)
S&P
Olive Oil
Fresh Basil

Saute sliced onion, minced garlic, cored and sliced sweet peppers and chopped swiss chard until the swiss chard is soft. Add S&P and alfredo sauce. Heat thru and serve over fettucine noodles and topped with fresh basil.

Heather's Jambalaya

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 T parsley
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp paparika
2 T garlic
2 bay leaves
S&P
1 large chicken bullion
5 cups water

Add the above ingredients to a oven safe stock pot. Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes with a lid on. Turn off and remove from heat. Drain the chicken into a bowl and strain the stock. Set aside for later.

1 green bell pepper - chopped
3-4 stalks of celery - cleaned and chopped
1 onion - chopped
1 T garlic
1 tsp liquid Swamp Fire
1 T parsley
1 T dried cilantro
S&P
1 tsp Tony Chachere's (cajun seasoning)
1 pkg Turkey Keilbasa - sliced
Chicken
1 1/2 c white rice
3 -4 c Stock

Saute: green peppers, celery, onion, garlic and all spices for about 5 minutes. Add the keilbasa and brown - about another 5 to 10 minutes. Then add the chicken and stir. Add the rice and 3 cups of stock. Bring to a boil and then bake at 350 for 1 hour. Check at 30 minutes and stir so it doesn't stick.

** You can use any type of sausage and leftover chicken is good **

Green Beans with Onion and an Apple Cider Reduction

1-2 lbs of fresh green beans - washed and ends snipped
1/2 medium onion - diced
3/4 bottle of Woodchuck Apple Cider
1/2 tsp ground sage
1 tbsp minced garlic
S&P

Blanche the green beans for about 3 minutes and remove.

Add onions, garlic, sage S&P to a pan (sprayed with Pam) . Saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add 3/4 of the bottle of Apple Cider to the pan and reduce for about 10 minutes or so. Add the green beans and toss.

** You can use regular Apple Cider if you can find it. **

Asian Turkey Meatloaf

1 pkg ground Turkey

3 carrots

1 onion

2 stalks celery

3 garlic cloves

1 small piece of ginger (about 1/2 inch piece)

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

1/2 lemon juiced

1 tsp dried cilantro (or 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro)

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

S&P

1/4 c panko bread crumbs

Add carrots, onion, celery, garlic and ginger to a food processor. Pulverize until almost smooth. Add vegetable mixture to the ground turkey. Combine. Add sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, parsley, cilantro, red pepper, lemon juice, S&P and panko to the mixture and combine well.

Place in pie plate and make a well in the middle. Smooth edges and bake for 45 - 60 minutes on 375.

** This is a really easy and simple take on Turkey Meatloaf. The juice can be used for a cooking liquid for vegetables. Just drain into a pot and bring to a boil. Then add vegetables. **

Thanks to Constance Kern for the idea.

Sausage, Peppers & Onions

6-8 Sausage Links

2 large sweet onions (peeled)

2 large yellow bell peppers (seeded)

4 large red bell peppers (seeded)

2 tbsp minced garlic

S&P

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

Sear the onions and peppers on the grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and add the 6 -8 sausages. Cook the sausages on the fire for about 3 minutes then turn and cook 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat and finish cooking about 10 -12 minutes (depending on how large your sausages are). Slice the onions and pepper and add to large pot on medium with a dash of oil (to keep from sticking). Once everything starts getting soft add the S*P, parsley, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Stir and turn down to medium low for about 10 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and continue cooking about 15 more minutes.

Serve either on hoagie rolls or plain.

This is an easy recipe that can be manipulated for more or less people.