Green Smoothie

Yield: 2 cups, 1-2 servings

When you're short on time, smoothies make a fast and energizing breakfast. And you won't even taste the greens.

1/4 cup water
1 small ripe banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 orange, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cup spinach leaves or chopped kale leaves

Place all ingredients in a blender and process on medium speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

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Garden Vegetable Soup

Yield: 2 cups, 2 serving

This soup tastes like a green version of Gazpacho. The basil adds garden-fresh aroma and flavor.

1 small zucchini, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup water, plus 1/4 cup water to thin if necessary
1/2 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons mellow white miso
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic (1 clove)
Dash cayenne
Dash salt
1 cup chopped spinach or chard
6 fresh basil leaves
1/2 ripe avocado, chopped

Place the zucchini, 1/2 cup water, tomato, celery, green onion, lemon juice, miso, garlic, cayenne, and salt in a blender and process until smooth. Add the spinach and basil and blend again. Add the avocado and blend until smooth. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water to thin, if necessary, and blend briefly. Serve immediately. For a chilled soup, refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

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Not Tuna Paté

Yield: 1 cup, 2 servings

1/2 cup soaked raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup soaked raw almonds
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons minced celery
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley

Place the sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process into a paste. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the celery, onion, and parsley and pulse briefly, just to mix. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Not Tuna Paté will keep for one week.

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Zucchini Noodles Marinara

Yield: 1 serving

You won’t miss wheat pasta in this flavorful Italian entrée. For an elegant presentation, serve it in a shallow bowl.

1 zucchini, peeled
2 tablespoons Marinara (see below)

Cut the zucchini into thin noodles using a vegetable spiral slicer. Alternatively, use a vegetable peeler to create long ribbons, or “fettuccini”, by drawing the peeler down all sides of the zucchini until you reach the core. Place in a medium bowl and toss with the marinara. Serve immediately.

Note: To serve warm, heat the sauce gently on the stove for a minute, taking care not to overheat it. Toss with the pasta and serve immediately.

Marinara Sauce
Yield: 1 cup, 2 servings

This tastes like the best slow-simmered tomato sauce you’ve ever had.

1 ripe tomato
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked or oil-packed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic (1 clove)
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper (optional)
Dash cayenne

Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Marinara Sauce will keep for three days.

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Mediterranean Kale

Yield: 1 serving

When kale is cut into thin strips and massaged in a dressing, it develops a soft and juicy texture.

4 kale leaves, stems removed
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 red bell pepper
1 tablespoon raw pine nuts
1 tablespoon sliced black olives
Dash black pepper (optional)

Stack 2 of the kale leaves with the stem end facing you. Fold in half lengthwise and roll tightly like a cigar. Slice crosswise into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining 2 leaves. Chop the kale strips crosswise a few times, so they aren’t too long. Place in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Toss well with your hands, massaging the dressing into the greens. Add the red bell pepper, pine nuts, and olives and toss gently. Season to taste with black pepper, if desired. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Mediterranean Kale will keep for three days.

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Brownies

Yield: 8 brownies, 4 servings

These are truly one-bowl brownies--you'll never have to wait more than 5 minutes again when that chocolate craving strikes.

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts, unsoaked
dash salt
8 pitted medjool dates, unsoaked
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons water
1/4 cup dried cherries

Place the walnuts in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until coarsely chopped. Remove 1/4 cup of the walnuts and set aside. Add the salt to the remaining walnuts and process until finely ground. Add the dates and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and process until evenly distributed. Add the water, dried cherries, and reserved walnuts, and process briefly, just to mix.

Pack the mixture firmly into a square container. Stored in a sealed container, Brownies will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.

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Chocolate Mousse

Yield: 2 cups, 4-6 servings

No one will know that avocado replaces butter, cream, and eggs in this silky mousse.

1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 1/2 cups mashed avocado (3 avocados)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
1/2 cup water

Place the dates, maple syrup, and optional vanilla in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Add the avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the water and process briefly. Stored in a sealed container, Chocolate Mousse will keep for three days in the refrigerator or two weeks in the freezer. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

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