Summer Barbecues – Recipe Night June 10/14

Mexican Bean Salad (Core Plan)

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can back eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup organic corn, frozen or canned
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil

Dressing Ingredients:

• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
•  1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons xylitol
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• pinch of cayenne powder

 

Marinated Tomato and Mushroom Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 5 large tomatoes, sliced
• 2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon xylitol
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
• pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions:

Place the mushrooms, onion, and tomatoes in a container with a lid.  Blend the remaining marinade ingredients and pour over the vegetables.  Place in fridge for at least 3 hours.  To serve, arrange the tomatoes in a circle on a serving plate, and place the mushrooms in the middle.  Sprinkle the onion slices randomly over the veggies.

 

Grilled Zucchini and Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 orange, red or yellow bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 4 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
• olive oil for grilling
• salt and pepper
• 1 English cucumber, chopped
•  3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 12 cherry tomatoes halved or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup Kalamata olives, halved or sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Heat barbecue to medium heat.  Brush peppers and zucchini with the oil and lightly salt and pepper.  Grill the vegetables, turning them as they cook, until they are slightly charred.  Set aside.
2. Combine the cumber, onions, tomatoes, olives, cilantro, mint and feta cheese.
3. In a separate container, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and cumin together. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.

Looks Like Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 large cauliflower head, boil until fork tender
• ¼ onion, finely diced
• 4 boiled eggs, chopped
• 4 or 5 large pickles, diced
•  splash of pickle juice
• 1 small green apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 4 sliced cooked turkey bacon, finely diced
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions:

Cut cooked cauliflower into bite size pieces.  Place in large bowl with the next 6 ingredients.  Lightly salt and pepper.  Combine the vinegar and oil.  Pour ¾ of the dressing over the salad.  Gently stir together.  Add more dressing if necessary.

 

Grilled Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into ½ inch circles
• 2-3 tomatoes, sliced
• ½ cup avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• sea salt and pepper
• a small package hard paneer cheese, thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Cover the eggplant slices with sea salt for about 30 minutes then, rub the salt off with a paper towel.   This removes any bitterness and draws out excess moisture.
2. Mix the oil with the basil, and a pinch of pepper.  Brush the tomato slices and the eggplant slices with the oil mixture on both sides..
3. Place the slices of eggplant and tomato on the grill at medium heat.  Cook for about 8 minutes then turn and cook about another 8 minutes.  Remove from grill.
4. Layer each of the eggplant slices with a slice of cheese and top with a slice of grilled tomato.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Burgers (Advanced Plan)

Ingredients:

• 1 package Portobello mushroom caps (4-6)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari sauce (similar to soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
• 1 ½ steak seasoning spice
• 4-6 thick slices red onion
• your choice of real cheese thinly sliced (4-6)
• 4 thin slices tomato
• ½ avocado, thinly sliced, sprinkled with lemon juice
• optional: large lettuce leaves, collard leaves or cabbage leaves for wraps

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whish together vinegar, tamari sauce, avocado oil, rosemary, and steak spice.  Evenly coat the mushrooms and onions with this mixture.
2. Place the mushrooms and onions on a hot grill.  Grill for 5 – 7 minutes on each side, re-coating side with the remaining marinade.  Top the mushrooms with the cheese during the last minute of cooking.
3. Remove veggies from the grill. Top each mushroom with an onion, tomato and avocado slice.
4. Optional:  To make wraps, cut mushrooms in half, them wrap in large leaves. If you are on the core diet, you can use non-wheat wraps.

 

Strawberry Gelato (Advanced Plan) – Maximized Living Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen strawberries, (or your berries of choice)
• 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
• stevia to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine the first 7 ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and blend well.
3. Pour the dressing over the beans and vegetables and mix well.  Chill the salad for several hours before serving.
4. Put the strawberries and avocado in a heavy- duty blender.  Blend well, then add a little stevia to taste if you think it is not sweet enough.

Grilled Fruit  (Core Diet)

Ingredients:

• 2 mangos, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 1 pineapple, peeled, cored and thickly slice
• 2 peaches, cored and thickly sliced
• butter
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar for balsamic vinegar reduction

 Instructions:

1. Place the vinegar on the stove and allow it to simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  The vinegar should thicken slightly and be recued be half.  This can be done ahead of time while in the kitchen doing something else.  Store in a sealed jar in the fridge.
2. Melt the butter and lightly brush the fruit.  Grill the fruit for about 5 minutes on each side.
3. To serve, drizzle the fruit with the reduction.

Waldorf Salad (Core Plan)

Ingredients:

• 4 green apples, chopped with skins on
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup seedless grapes, any colour
• 2/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup organic plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• stevia drops to taste

Ingredients: 

1.  In a medium size bowl, coat the chopped apples with lemon juice.  Next, add the grapes, celery and walnuts.
2. In a separate bowl, blend the yogurt with the vanilla and stevia.
3.  Pour the yogurt dressing over the apple mixture.

Note:  For advanced plan, substitute the grapes for blueberries.

 

Coconut Ice Cream (Advanced)

Ingredients:

2 cans full fat (i.e., not lite) coconut milk (Check ingredients – you only want coconut milk made with coconut extract and water. I used Aroy-D brand, Thai Kitchen is also a good brand.)

• ¼ cup xylitol
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Place the coconut cans in the fridge for several hours to chill.  When chilled, open cans and pour the liquid portion into a container.  Scoop out the more solid coconut for the ice cream.  (The liquid can be used for smoothies.)

Blend the coconut, xylitol and vanilla in a blender, then pour into a container.  Freeze for 4-6 hours.

Note:  For chocolate ice cream, add ¼ cup cocoa.

For variety, substitute 2 frozen bananas for the xylitol. (Core Diet)