Summer Squash Sloppy Joes

1 pound of organic ground chicken breasts (or a 12-oz package of soy crumbles)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, shredded
1 1/2 cups summer squash, grated (I used 2 small zucchinis)
6 - ounce can tomato paste
3/4 - 1 cup water
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese (optional)
6 whole grain hamburger buns, toasted (or gluten-free buns if needed)

In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the meat and cook 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about two minutes. Add the carrot and summer squash to the mixture, mixing well and cooking another 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and water, stirring to dissolve completely. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Place on hamburger buns and top with cheese. Enjoy!

Corn Fritters with Tomato Avocado Relish

Ingrdients:
For the corn fritters:
4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 egg yolks
1 cup fresh or canned corn kernels
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup corn flour (or corn meal)
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 egg whites
safflower oil to fry in

For the relish:
1 large tomato, cored and chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of half a lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced

Mix the onion with the egg yolk, corn and butter. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and cayenne. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix well. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the corn mixture to loosen the batter. Fold in the remaining whites.

To make the salsa, combine all of the ingredients except the avocado in a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, mix in the avocado.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add just enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan and heat until sizzling hot. Scoop the batter into the skillet a heaping tablespoon (I used 2 tablespoons) at a time, cooking the fritters in batches of 4 or 5 so that they are not touching. Fry 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the cooked cakes to wire rack and repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve immediately topped with the relish. Enjoy!

Cannellini Bean & Artichoke Spread

A great spread to make ahead and serve for a summer meal. Use it as a dip for fresh harvested veggies or spread it on sprouted grain toast and top with a tomato slice!

1 garlic clove roughly chopped
1 shallot roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup olive oil
1 - 14 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (organic if possible)
1 - 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts or artichoke bottoms, drained
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
10-12 tarragon leaves (optional)

Place all ingredients in food processor with S blade and pulse to combine. Turn off processor, scrape down sides of bowl and then blend again until combines. Enjoy!

Veggie Chop Salad with Raw Ranch Dressing

Another tasty raw salad to eat during harvest time and hot summer days. Make up a batch and eat from it throughout the week. I even tossed it on top of brown rice, added some walnuts and it was a great lunch.

Salad:
1 cup raw diced carrots
1 cup raw diced celery
1 cup raw diced red pepper
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 cup green beans, diced and lightly steamed
1 cup shelled edamame, cooked as per package (you can lightly steam them along with the green beans, about 2-3 minutes)
Salad greens for base of salad (optional)

Prepare all chopped veggies. Combine all veggies in large bowl. Toss the salad with Raw Ranch Dressing (recipe follows).

Raw Ranch Dressing:
2 small stalks celery
3/4 cup raw cashews or Brazil nuts, soaked for 30 minutes (Place the nuts in warm water and let sit (30 mins) and then drain the water)
1/4 of an avocado
1 cup filtered water
juice of one small lemon or 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dry dill
2 small chives, roughly chopped
2 small stems of fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 fresh basil leaves or 1/4 dried basil
1 small clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Place all ingredients in high speed blender and combine until creamy and smooth. If using dried herbs, let the dressing rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavours of the dried herbs to emerge. Serve alongside salad or toss the chopped salad with dressing to coat and spoon onto bed of greens. You can store the dressing and veggies separate until ready to eat. Once tossed, the salad is best eaten immediately. Enjoy!

Fresh Berry Tart with a Raw Nutty Oat Crust

Fantastic, fantastic good wholesome whole foods fantastic! This qualifies for a dessert, snack or even lunch. A treat that you must serve more then once in a summer.

Adapted from: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
1 cup rolled oats (if you are gluten sensitive then use gluten-free oats)
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Berry Filling:
1 1/2 cup organic berry juice
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups fresh organic berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries

To make the crust, place the pecans and rolled oats in a food processor fitted with the "s" blade. Process until ground, then add the pittled medjool dates, butter and spices and process until well combined. Place into an 8x8 inch square baking dish and firmly press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Place into the refrigerator to chill while you are making the filling. To make the filling, place the berry juice, corn starch and maple syrup into a small saucepan. Place pan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn heat down and cook until the mixture is thick and clear, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Wash and dry berries and spread evenly over crust, then pour sauce mixture over the top of the berries. Chill for about 20 minutes before serving. Tart will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Top with whip cream if you desire. Enjoy!

Cabbage Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Here is a refreshing cabbage salad. This is one of my favorites. It is so easy and packed full of whole and healthy foods. You can serve this salad with most any dish. The best part is storing the leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy eating it throughout the week as a snack. Or you can add any source of protein to the salad (marinated tofu, baked chicken pieces, ground nuts or garbanzo beans) and it becomes a satisfying lunch! Cabbage is a rich source of powerful phytochemicals. Raw cabbage is also very detoxifying to the body, improving digestion and elimination, while killing harmful bacteria and viruses in the gut.

Complements: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Salad:
4 cups chopped Napa or Savoy cabbage
4 green onions, finely sliced
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or any chopped up nuts!)

Dressing:
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 tablspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch cayenne pepper

Place cabbage, green onions, grated carrot, and toasted sunflower seeds into large bowl. Place ingredients for dressing into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Again, I store the salad in the fridge and eat from it for many days. Enjoy!

Sun Dried Berry Fruit Leather

Get loads of seasonal berries while you can! Support your local berry growers and pick them yourself or buy from a farmers market close to you. This recipe is great to do with kids. You have to have a bright sunny summer day and it takes some patients, but it is well worth the wait.

4-5 cups fresh berries (3 cups pureed)
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Place the fresh berries into a blender with the honey. Blend until the berries are a smooth consistency. You should have 3 cups of fruit puree. If you would like you can press the puree through a cheese cloth to remove the seeds (this will give you a nice smooth fruit leather). I did not do this. I driedthe fruit with the seeds and all. Place a piece of wax paper onto an edged baking sheet (15x12 inch)(or any 15x12 dish with a slight rim around it). Pour the pureed fruit onto the wax paper. It should be about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dish in full sun for 6-8 hours. When it is all dry (the kids checked on it every hour or so) peel the fruit leather off the paper and enjoy!