banana and strawberry yogurt

put frozen strawberries in a food processor and then the bananas.  blend till a yogurt texture is acquired.  serve with sliced oranges on top.

breakfast cereal

Breakfast:

• Vegan cereal, which is a bowl filled with coconut flakes, almond slivers, walnuts, flax seeds, blueberries, blackberries, a touch of stevia for sweetener, and coconut milk

good salsa

to have a different flavor in your salsa,  roast your veges and then blend them up, or use a pistol and mortar, and WA LA  it taste totally different.

Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (thinly cut)
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• juice from 1 lemon
• ___________________________
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 cup tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• ___________________________
• PITA FILLINGS:
• 8 loaves of pita bread or 4 large
• thinly slice cucumbers
• thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 teaspoon sumac
• thinly sliced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• pickle slices (optional)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for chicken, fillings, and sauce ingredients to make marinade. If it seems a little dry, add a little olive oil (a tablespoon at a time). Here is an excellent tahini recipe, if you do not have some handy.

Add chicken, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

In a stockpot or large saucepan, cook chicken over medium heat for 45 minutes or until done. Be sure not to overcook! If chicken becomes a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water throughout cooking duration.

While chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Take the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and sprinkle with sumac. Add other filling ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.

When the chicken is done, you can shred it, slice it, or leave into large pieces. As long as it it thinly cut, there is not much difference. I prefer to cut mine into wide strips.

Prepare the Pita

Place enough chicken on pita that cover 1/4 of the loaf. Add veggies and pour sauce. Roll like a soft taco or burrito and you have shawarma! You can also stuff the pocket of the pita if you like. I prefer to roll large pitas (this is where making your own pita comes in handy), but it is hard to find large loaves of pita at the supermarket.


TAHINI

Ingredients:

• 5 cups sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350. Toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, tossing the seeds frequently with a spatula. Do not allow to brown. Cool for 20 minutes.

Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add oil. Blend for 2 minutes. Check for consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil and blend until desired consistency.

Yield: 4 cups

Storing Tahini

Tahini should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. It will keep for up to 3 months.

If you are on a low carb diet, or you just don't want to eat break, mix all the fixings on a plate and serve.  it tastes the same. 

Note:  i put the meat in a food processor and it seemed to dry out the meat.  i recommend keeping it in the big whole breast and then cutting it up when ready.

the perfect steak

salt
pepper
steak
butter

Salt the steak lightly on both sides.  Use a generous amount of pepper on both sides.  you want to use more than you think because this makes a really good crust when its finished.  heat a cast iron skillet to 3/4 heat.  place the butter in to skillet and the meat.  flip the meat after about 3-4 minutes and let it cook on the other side for about the same time.  for juicy medium rare meat, make your hand into a light fist and poke the muscle inbetween your thumb and index finger.  this is how your steak should feel when you  poke it.  DO NOT STAB IT, CUT IT, OR SQUISH IT.  THIS WILL KILL IT OF JUICES.  just let it do its course and take it off the heat.  let it sit for 4 minutes and then serve.

Mexican stew

meat
salt
pepper
garlic
red and yellow bell peppers
tomatoes
onions
cilantro
1 lemon
1 cup beef broth
low fat sour cream
guacamole
-avacoda
-tomatoe
-limes
-onion
-cilantro


salt and pepper the meat (which are in little cubes). throw everything together except for the sour cream and guacamole.  bring to a boil and then simmer.  cover the pot and let it cook for 6-9 hours on low.  make the guacamole.  put that and the sour cream in the stew when ready. enjoy!

Quinoa Taboule

2cups cook and cooled Quinoa
1 cup chopped Parsley
1/2 cup chopped onions (it calls for  scallions but who uses that?)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 garlic clove, mince and press it
1 tbsp. minced fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 freshly ground pepper.

To cook quinoa, boil 4 cups of water, add the *going to bed its not done yet*