Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

I LOVE this soup - its hearty and good for you, and very flavorful! We often eat it with grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner!

3 sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped
3/4 Cup dried lentils
5 teaspoons fresh basil, diced
5 teaspoons fresh parsley, diced
1 medium to large red onion, diced
2-3 Tablespoons Olive or Grapeseed oil
3-4 Cubes Vegetable Stock (if keeping it vegetarian, otherwise chicken stock cubes are fine)
Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesian cheese for garnish

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way full with water and throw in the stock cubes. Add the oil, onion, parsley and basil. Bring to a boil. When mixture is boiling add the lentils and sweet potatoes, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste (I like to use lots of fresh ground pepper and kosher salt for the best flavor) and return to a low simmer, until the potatoes and lentils are soft. Serve garnished with freshly ground parmesian cheese.

Crock Pot Chili Verde

This is one of my favorite recipes.
1 tbsp oil
1 chopped onion
1-2 minced garlic cloves
1 diced green bell pepper
6 boneless chicken breast (may use pork)
1 16 oz jar salsa verde
1 7 oz can diced green chilies
1 19 oz green chile enchilada sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp chipotle chili pepper
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
1 lime for juicing
cilantro chopped

**In frying pan saute onion, garlic and bell pepper in oil until softened. In a crock pot add the chicken, sauteed veggies. Continue to add salsa verde, green chilies, green enchilada sauce, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Stir the ingredients together. Cook on high 5-6 hours if meat is frozen, if meat is thaw cook for 4-5 hours. After the meat is cooked, take it out and cut into chunks or shred then add back to the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with warm tortillas, shredded cheese, lime, cilantro and sour cream.

Pumpkin Cake

by: Jackie Schugk from Grandma Buchanan's recipe box

This is a great cake for the Holidays.

CRUST
1 yellow cake mix (set 1 cup aside)
1 cube melted butter
1 egg
*mix cake mix, butter and egg together well and press down in greased 9x13 pan

FILLING
1 large can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 large can evaporated unsweetened milk
*mix ingredients together and pour over crust

TOPPING
1 cup of yellow cake mix (set aside earlier)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbls flour
*mix ingredients until crumbly add 1/2 cup more butter if needed. Sprinkle over mixture and bake 350 degrees for 1 hour checking regularly. Don't over bake.

Serve with cool whip or ice cream

White Chocolate Cupcakes

...Libby Brown

1 box white cake mix
1 box instant white chocolate pudding
1 cup cream soda
1/2 cup veg. oil
3/4 cup liquid egg whites
2 1/2 cups white choc. chips divided
2/3 cup heavy cream
White chocolate bar-shaved, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 12 cup muffin pans with baking cups and set aside. Beat cake mix, pudding, cream soda, oil and egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl and beat for 2 min on medium. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips until well combined. Fill each baking cup 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Heat cream over medium heat until just boiling. Pour over remaining 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips in a medium bowl, and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Let cool to room temperature or until mixture is thick and shiny. Dip tops of cooled cupcakes into white chocolate mixture and turn upright. Smooth tops with a butter knife if necessary. garnish with white chocolate shavings.

*These are similar to the 'Bundt choc cake' recipe except it is the white chocolate version. The cream soda makes these so good. My husband loves them.

Delicious Veggie Dip

...Melissa Curtis

2 Green onions
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Sundried Tomatoes
2 Large Zucchini Squashes
1 Med - Large Tomato
1 Med - Large Carrot
1 Stalk of Celery
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper and Onion Salt to taste

In a food processor or blender finely dice the onions, garlic and sundried tomatoes. Then add the rest of the vegetables in chunks, a little at a time, until they are all finely diced, but not mush. Heat the Olive Oil in a skillet until hot and add the veggie mixture. Cook on Medium High heat, stirring often to make sure it doesn't burn, for about 5-7 minutes. Spice according to your tastes. Serve while steaming hot and eat with Pita Chips or Tortilla chips. People that don't like vegetables that much love this hearty dip!

I also love this wrapped up in tortillas with fresh avocado and lettuce.

Vegan Oatmeal Spice Cookies

...Melissa Curtis

Don’t be scared off by the word “Vegan” in the title, these healthy cookies are really yummy and have tons of fiber – with way less fat and calories than regular cookies.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies (depending on how big you make them!)

1 cup Grapeseed Oil
1 cup Raw Cane (Turbinado) Sugar *
1 & 2/3 cups rolled oats (NOT instant – get the good, old-school kind)
1/3 cup mixture of the following: Flax Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, and Raw Cashews (I just sort of eyeball this – I put out a 1/3 measuring cup and then dice some cashews and sunflower seeds and put them in it, and then alternate between the sesame and flax seeds until its full)
1 cup Vanilla Rice Milk
Juice from one Orange, small to medium size
1 tsp Grated Orange Rind
2-3 tsps Finely Grated Carrot
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsps Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves

Preheat oven to 325º.

Cream together grapeseed oil and raw cane sugar. Add the oats, seed-nut mixture, rice milk, orange juice, orange rind and carrot and beat well.

Sift together the remaining dry ingredients. Fold into creamed mixture and mix well.

Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 18-22 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of your cookies. I always make them BIG!

Since these are Vegan, you and your kids can eat as much dough as you want while you are making them and don’t have to worry about getting sick. They are soooo tasty and hearty, and very good for you. It’s a great way to disguise health food and get your family to try it! I like these as a quick grab and go snack, or for breakfast. Bell and her friends like to dip them in rice milk or have them with juice.

* You can also substitute organic brown sugar if your store doesn’t carry raw cane sugar.

Steamed Squash

...Melissa Cox

This one is really easy and many of you may already eat squash this way, if not give it a try and you'll love it!

1 medium yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
Seasoning (I like to use lemon pepper)
Butter
Cheese

Wash and slice up the squash and zucchini. Place in a microwave dish. Sprinkle with seasoning, make sure to mix it with the squash to everything get coated. Drop a couple of tsp. of butter on top of the squash. Then sprinkle with cheese, again mix it and put a final layer on top. Microwave for 10-15 min or until the squash is soft enough to eat.

This recipe is very forgiving, you can add as much or as little of whatever you want to it. Have fun with it.