Sweet! With food manufacturers adding sugar to most of their processed food products to keep you coming back for more, this 10 minute recipe will keep those fake food cravings at bay, nourish your body and make you feel great! There is nothing wrong with adding a little flavor at home, when you are cooking fresh, REAL foods.

• 2 lbs. baby zucchini and baby patty pan squash 
• (you may choose to add baby carrots to the mix for a total of 2 lbs.)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T unsalted butter
• 2 tsp sugar
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• sprinkle dill if you like

Step 1:
Clean veggies and steam, covered on stove until barely tender (4-8 minutes or so).  If you are using carrots too, steam separately as they may take slightly longer to soften.  Then steam the squash. 

Step 2:
In a large skillet, add olive oil and butter until just melted, add vegetables to the pan and sprinkle in sugar, salt and pepper. 

Step 3:
Gently toss sand stir veggies over moderately low heat until heated through, sugar and salt dissolved and veggies are glazed (for about 4 minutes or so).

Health Tip:
Rethink your snack. Veggie leftovers are your healthy afternoon snack, or your go to food when you feel hungry and meal time is hours away.

Variation:
The recipe on the back of this 32 oz. squash bag called for leeks, fresh basil and feta cheese. I believe it is as simple as sautéing the cleaned, sliced leeks with the squash in olive oil and then adding fresh sliced basil and sprinkling with feta cheese.  I have never tasted anything that doesn't taste amazing with feta cheese!  

Health Inspires.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 3 T (1/4 c) feta cheese
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh cooked or low sodium canned chickpeas, rinsed
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach

Dressing:

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp juice from a lemon 
• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Serves 2-4 (or one really large salad/meal)

Instructions

Step 1
Combine first four ingredients in a medium to large bowl.

Step 2
Combine olive oil and lemon in a separate small bowl until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3
Pour olive oil mixture over spinach combination and toss until well coated.  Serve.

Fun Recipe Facts in its Entirety: 

• Calories:  489  
• Total Fat: 12 g
• Saturated:  4 g (from feta cheese)
• Monounsaturated Fat:  6.5
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5
• Protein: 20 g
• Fiber:  15 g
• Sodium (1/8 tsp salt):  279 g

This easy to make side can transform any simple main course presentation to elegance and sophistication.  Prepare this for company or at home any night of the week.  

My husband teases me that I count everything instead of measuring by the pound.  For this recipe, I like to bundle three asparagus stalks per person by wrapping them in a slice of prosciutto; so I count... :) Bundle more if you’d like.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil (enough to generously coat asparagus)
• Medium to thick stalk asparagus (I like 3 per person)
• Package of thinly sliced prosciutto or deli sliced thin (you need a slice for each bundle)
• Salt to taste

Preheat Oven 400 Degrees

Ingredients:

• 3 T olive oil
  
• 1 lb. fresh whole green beans, ends trimmed
  
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion in ring form
  
• 10 medium whole garlic cloves peeled
  
• 1 T balsamic vinegar (sometimes I skip this)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 3/4 c toasted pine nuts
  

Preheat Oven 400 degrees

Step 1
Toss beans, onion and garlic in a bowl with the olive oil, and little salt

Step 2
Spread all ingredients listed in step 1 on a baking sheet

Step 3
Roast 20 minutes, then check for desired tenderness, while stirring, tossing and shaking and roasting in 5 minutes     intervals, until you like the texture

Remove the beans from the oven and drizzle with vinegar.  Top with the toasted pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste.  I love this recipe.  The texture will be much different than cooking green beans the traditional way.  Enjoy!

Made with skin on red potatoes, the natural taste and texture is rich and creamy without the cream.  I have skipped the sour cream for years now and use skim milk all the way.  They taste great either way!  Using olive oil instead of butter makes for a delicious and healthy way to enjoy your mashers.  

Ingredients:

6 red-skinned potatoes, about 2 lbs, unpeeled and quartered  
2 T olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, freshly minced
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c warm milk
1 T apple cider vinegar or add more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1:
Place cleaned and quartered potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer for about 25 minutes or until tender.  Drain well.

Step 2:
While potatoes are boiling, add olive oil and garlic to a saucepan and saute for a short time, about 2 minutes (do not overcook).  

Step 3:
Place garlic and olive oil in a bowl and add the potatoes.   Mash potatoes and olive oil/garlic together with a fork or potato masher.

Step 4:
Add sour cream, slowly add milk as you mash, then add vinegar and season with salt and pepper.  Add more milk if necessary for desired consistency.  Serve immediately.

Health Inspires.

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1 red onion, diced (do not get hung up on “red” - use what you have)
  
• 2 Tbsp minced Garlic
  
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
  
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 can (14oz.) diced tomatoes
  
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
  
• 2 tsp. each honey and fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  
• Brown Rice for serving
  
• 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  

Rice:
Put brown rice on to cook per package directions.

Chickpeas:
Heat oil in heavy saucepan over medium-low heat and add onion and garlic. 
Stir for about 5 minutes until wilted and not browned.
Stir in cumin.

Add and stir in chickpeas, tomatoes, thyme, honey, lemon juice and broth.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add salt and pepper and simmer for 4 minutes.

Taste chickpeas and adjust seasonings per your preference.
Take out thyme sprigs and stir in parsley.  

** It takes no effort at all to make your own garbanzo beans.
Buy a bag of beans (about $1.00), rinse, place in a large saucepan with water and salt (if you are going to use them to top salads, make hummus or for this recipe).
Follow package directions.
I have found cooking them this way they are more firm than those in the can -- and more nutritious! -- so adjust your cook time to desired firmness.

I roast many of my veggies.  It might get boring for some, but this is one of the ways I have cooked veggies cooked, ready and available anytime I want to open the fridge and heat them up in a pinch for my family or throw them on a salad.  Preparing veggies this way is fast and simple:

Oven: 400 degrees
Always: Olive oil, salt and/or pepper to taste
Variations to add to vegetables:  Garlic whole cloves, minced or sliced; onions sliced in thin rings or chopped
Vegetables that taste yummy this way:  Green beans, broccoli, zucchini squash, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, other squash variations, cut up potatoes.  Cook vegetables individually or mix some together.  

Toss veggies to coat veggies with olive oil. I try to use just the right amount, not to dry, but not more oil than the vegetables need.
Toss every 15 minutes or so while roasting.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cube equal amounts of fresh pineapple and fresh sweet potato.
Toss with canola oil, just enough to coat all pieces.
Sprinkle with Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning.
Roast in oven tossing every 15 minutes or so until potatoes are at your desired tenderness.

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh Brussels Sprouts
  
• 4 garlic cloves minced
  
• 1 tsp butter (original recipe called for 3 tsp of butter and 2 tsp olive or canola oil)
  
• 3 tsp olive oil
  
• 1/2 c reduced sodium chicken broth (I have even used water)
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  

Rinse sprouts, trim bottom and cut and X in the core of each sprout; set aside.

Sauté garlic in large saucepan in butter and oil until golden brown.
Add sprouts and toss to coat.
Add broth and salt and cover and cook until sprouts are tender, about 12-14 minutes. 
Drain and serve.