When you’ve been outside in the 108° heat, this soup is a great addition to a summer lunch.

Ingredients:
1 cantaloupe
2 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation: Personally, I always view cantaloupe or any other melon like I view raw meat and try to treat it as such in the kitchen. I posted my melon handling techniques in an earlier post, so I won’t repeat myself too much except to say that I think it’s a good idea to handle any melon with a surgical glove. Of course, I wash everything thoroughly, but even so, I never put the outer shell on the same cutting board as the inside. With this recipe, it would probably be best to cut it in half, then remove the seeds, and scoop out the “meat” with an ice cream scoop or a large spoon. Cube the cantaloupe, and place it and 1/2 cup orange juice into the blender, and processing till smooth. Transfer to large bowl, then stir in remaining orange juice, cinnamon and lime juice, cinnamon, and remaining orange juice. Garnish with mint if desired. The “secret” to making this soup taste great is to make sure it is refrigerated for at least one hour. You may be tempted, but nooooo taking it out ahead of time and cheating.

This recipe serves 6 with 70 calories per serving

Total Fat: 0.4g
Sodium: 9mg
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1.4g

Please note, there are sugars in the orange juice, so it’s probably not a good idea to have this for dinner. But I think it’s definitely a good alternative to having ice cream or other cold and fattening foods. Also, some people like to add a bit of spoonful or two of yogurt while blending to make it creamy, but I have never tried that.

Many people are not familiar with Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, but it can be a great way to “find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area“.

One of my local growers, Desert Roots Farm, describes it like this: “CSA is a partnership of mutual commitment between a farm and a community of supporters which provides a direct link between the production and consumption of food. Supporters cover a farm’s yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the season’s harvest. ”

They offer “Whole” and “Half” share memberships. 4 weeks of a half share may be as low as $72, and here’s an example of the quantity of produce you might get weekly in a half share:
1/2 pound bag of gourmet lettuce mix
bunch of carrots
bunch of radishes
1/2 pound broccoli
bunch of beets
smaller bunch of kale
some cilantro

For 4 weeks of a whole share, prices start at $92, and your weekly veggie quantity will look something like this:
1 pound bag of gourmet lettuce mix
bunch of carrots(9-10)
bunch of radishes (7-8)
3/4 pound broccoli
bunch of beets(5-6)
bunch of kale
some cilantro

From what I understand, all shares must be prepaid in advance, but when you consider the bargains you’ll be getting, I think it’s a great deal. For example, the half share works out to $18 a week for all that food. What a great deal for organic produce!

If you don’t live in the metro Phoenix area, don’t worry, there are CSAs nationwide that offer buyers the opportunity to receive a weekly or monthly basket of produce, flowers, fruits, eggs, milk, coffee, or any sort of different farm product”. Local Harvest has a great database of farms and farmers that offer Community Supported Agriculture. Some of the farms even offer delivery and/or pick up at convenient locations.

By being part of a CSA, you can maximize your food dollars while eating organic food.You’ll be supporting a local grower and you’ll gain the benefits of knowing who grew your food and what they used on it. In my opinion, it’s a win-win solution for everyone involved.

Tofu has become more and more popular, and has moved from being an exotic dish to standard fare. Have you ever wondered how its made? Do you know what most companies use to get it to the right consistency?

Although many homemade versions use lemon juice as a thickening agent, many commercial brands of tofu use calcium sulfate, a common laboratory and industrial chemical. Calcium sulfate is also used as a desiccant, or a drying agent. It’s also known as gypsum which is commonly used in drywall, blackboard chalk, and is also a component of Portland cement.

In case you’re not familiar with these names, you may have also heard of another common term for calcium sulfate:

Plaster of Paris

That’s right, your tofu may contain the same material used in some of your favorite knickknacks and home decor. Now, I’m not saying it’s dangerous to eat per se, I am just saying that the last time I checked, the FDA had not established a minimum daily requirement for the consumption of construction materials. I’m sure it’s not that dangerous to eat, but why not tell us point blank about it, instead of using it’s chemical name?

One more thing, it does have a high calcium content, but so do the semi-precious stones known as garnet. I don’t know why tofu can’t be made commercially with lemon juice, wouldn’ that be healthier for everyone? In my opinion, whoever decided to pass off calcium sulfate to the unsuspecting public has rocks in their head.

These are little time consuming, but we make them during special occasions and everyone loves them. Plus, you know the health benefits of mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced.
• 3 green onions (scallions), diced.
• 1/2 tablespoons natural soy sauce (such as tamari).
• 1 cup white wine.
• 12 medium small-capped mushrooms, washed and stems removed.
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or purified water.
• 1/4 cup cooked couscous.
• Salt.
• Freshly ground pepper.
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil.
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped.
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes, just until they turn slightly more brown. Pour them into a small bowl.

Set a large sauce pan with the olive oil over low heat for less than 1 minute. Drop in the garlic and the shallots. Add the soy sauce, wine, and mushrooms and simmer covered until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to shake the mushrooms so that the cooking liquid falls back into the pan, then transfer the drained mushrooms to a baking dish, arranging them hollow side up. Reserve the liquid in the pan.

Cook the couscous by bringing the vegetable stock or water to a boil in a separate pot. Pour in the couscous, lower the heat, and simmer covered for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. All the liquid should be absorbed. Now, dump the couscous into the sauce pan with the reserved liquid, cover, and cook over low heat until all the liquid is absorbed.

Lightly salt and pepper the mushroom caps. Finish the stuffing by mixing the nuts, herbs, Parmesan cheese into the cooked couscous. Using a tablespoon, pile a small mound of filling inside the cap of each mushroom. Bake for 10 minutes or until the stuffing is lightly browned on top.

Makes 6 servings
Nutritional Information per serving:
107 calories
6 grams total fat (1 g sat)
1 mg cholesterol
10 grams carbohydrate
3 grams protein
1 grams fiber

Whether you spell it Taboule, Tabbouleh, or Tabouli, this salad is very refreshing. What is great about this recipe is that it has 5 grams of fiber per serving.
NO COOKING NECESSARY!!! EASY & FAST TO MAKE!

First thing first… you have to purchase the correct box of Tabouli. Look for the brand ‘Near East’. On the box it reads ‘Taboule Mix Wheat Salad’. Make sure to buy the Wheat Salad, it is the one that has 5 grams of fiber.

Just follow the recipe on the box ‘Greek Taboule Salad’. When I made it, I didn’t have any fresh basil on hand or the feta cheese. You will not want to skip using lemon or olive oil.

Okay, here is how I make it:
1 package/box ‘Wheat Taboule’
1 tsp. olive oil (I use less than the box says)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tomato, chopped
1 cucumber diced (cucumber a must)
Optional: 2 Tbsp. fresh basil or dehydrated basil
Lettuce, whatever type you prefer. I use Iceberg, Spinach, & Romaine mixed together.

In a large bowl, combine wheat and contents of Spice Sack. Stir in 1 cup boiling water. I nuked the water in the micro for 2 minutes. Cover, let stand 30 minutes in refrigerator. Do not over mix the Tabouli, it will turn into mush.

In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, tomato, cucumber, & basil. Spread the cut up lettuce on a plate, add the Tabouli on top of lettuce, then add the the mixture ingredients on top of it all. I will even squirt extra lemon juice all over.

We have never been big fans of Tabouli or even of lemon juice on salads, I’m telling you, this recipe is quite tasty.

Per Serving (approx. 2 & 1/2 Tbsp.)
Calories 120
Fat 0 grams
Sodium 270 mg
Carbs 21 grams
Fiber 5 grams
Sugar 1 grams
Protein 3 grams

This is another great make-ahead recipe. This should make at least two meals for the average family, so you can refrigerate the leftovers and serve it for another meal later in the week.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey
3 large (or 4 medium) onions, chopped
6-8 carrots, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1-2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper (optional)
1-2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
1 can (15 oz. red kidney beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 can (10 oz.) Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, drained
1 can (141/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes (low sodium), undrained
1 can (11 oz.) ‘No Salt” kernel corn, drained
2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Read labels on bean cans, & also on any canned vegetables, Purchase the lowest sodium.

1.) Coat large cooking pot (at least 5 quart) with cooking spray, or rub lightly w/olive oil. Cook turkey until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add onions & carrots. Cook 5 minutes longer.

2.) Stir in chili powder, cumin, spices, beans, tomatoes, corn, & broth.

3.) Simmer 2 hours, uncovered If mixture is too thick, add water. Serve stew in bowls as is, or over rice.If eating this dish for dinner, you may omit the rice. Rice being a starchy carb should be eaten during the day or early afternoon.

Makes 12 servings
PREP TIME: 30 minutes COOKING TIME: 2 hours
PER SERVING: Calories 270, Protein 19 g, Carbs 33 g, Fat 6 g, Fiber 9 g, Sodium 950 mg.
By using the lower sodium beans & canned tomatoes, the sodium count will be less.
(You might want to take Beano before chowing down)

This is enough to feed a small army! During the hot summer months, make a batch, refrigerate your leftovers, and then you’ll have another meal without having to heat up your kitchen again.

I also call this recipe “De-Tox Soup”. It is a great body cleanser if you happen to have eaten bad; as in too many carbs for a few days. It’s a pain in the neck to dice all the veggies, but, the soup cooks up fast, in about 45 minutes or less.

You are going to need a big pot.

INGREDIENTS
1 can Chicken Broth (14 oz.) ‘33% less sodium’, I now use Organic Broth
1 can Pinto or Kidney Beans (15 1/2 oz.) I use pinto
1 can Organic Tomatoes (14 1/2 oz.) & 1 fresh Tomato, zap in the blender (puree)
1 cup water, & add water as needed
4+ Tbsp. Olive Oil (always use ‘Virgin Oil First Cold Pressed’)
Turkey Kielbasa* ‘2/3 less fat’ or you can use turkey hot dogs (diced into 1/4” to 1/2” pieces), sometimes I use Kosher Beef hot dogs

Whatever vegetables you like, I use…
1 Carrot (fresh)
Green Beans – 2 handfuls (fresh)
1 Red Bell Pepper (or any color)
2 Red Potatoes small size – To save on a few calories, skip using potato.
Broccoli – 1 bunch (fresh)
Red Cabbage 1/2 head
1 sweet potato or yam
Asparagus 1 bunch (1/2 the stems & tips)
1 Zucchini
1 Yellow Neck Squash
1 Onion small or onion bits
1 Garlic Clove or garlic powder if you must, but do try to stay with the fresh for the immune system

Spices: I bloody use every spice I can find in the kitchen, you can’t go wrong here. Basically I use Cilantro, Ground Cumin, Poultry Seasoning, a small dash of Tumeric or Curry Powder, Salt & Pepper. I love Tumeric!

Preparation:
If you have never worked with fresh green beans… just snap them with your hands. I break them into pretty small pieces, throwing out the end pieces. I put the green beans in a bowl with bleach water & let them soak as I prepare to cut up the other veggies. For bleach water, use just a drop or two of bleach in a big bowl of water. Be sure to rinse thoroughly before adding them to the pot.

I dice all the veggies & kielbasa up pretty small. Put all the veggies in the pot, add all the liquids> chicken broth, beans & the juice from the can, stewed tomatoes, V-8, water, & olive oil. Also, add the kielbasa.

Bring to a boil, then cook on medium for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes of cooking, add the zucchini & yellow squash (they cook up fast).

Cook for another 20 to 25 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. You don’t want soggy veggies, they should be slightly crisp. Test the soup to see if done by eating a bit of green bean & potatoes.

*Turkey Kielbasa. This is optional, you can keep it strictly vegetables & not add the kielbasa. I add it for the protein. The downside of using kielbasa, it does have MSG, especially the smoke flavor. I no longer use the kielbasa due to MSG, switched over to the kosher hot dogs.

THIS SOUP IS SUCH A HASSLE IN CUTTING ALL THE VEGGIES, BUT SO WORTH IT! WE EAT IT PRACTICALLY ONCE A WEEK, WE STILL HAVEN’T BEEN SICK THIS YEAR. FYI: I DO COOK WITH A LOT OF GARLIC ON A REGULAR BASIS AS IT IS.

This recipe is very quick to assemble.

• 6 Bell Peppers (green or red).
• Turkey Links Italian Sweet Sausage (sold in a package by the fresh chicken).
• 1 cup Basmati or Jasmine Rice or brown rice (we use only brown rice now).
• Low Sodium Tomato Sauce Two 6 oz. cans.
• Olive Oil 1-2 Tablespoons (always use Virgin Oil First Cold Pressed)

Remove skin from sausage and cook it in a frying pan to well done. Chop it up as it cooks, it frys up like hamburger. I also use turkey sweet sausage for my spaghetti sauce. Note: I always cook meats in a big cooking pot as opposed to a skillet. This way there’s no grease spattering onto stove.

Precook rice.

Wash peppers, cut tops off. If the peppers have crooked bottoms & won’t stand up, slice off slightly to even them out, careful to not cut a hole in the bottom.

Set oven @ 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Scoop mixture into the peppers, pack tight, & heap the tops.
Place the peppers in an oblong baking dish, add 1 cup of water, cover with foil for 30 minutes, the last 30 minutes remove the foil. 

Bake for 1 hour.

From: Linda Lee

A different kind of taste that you’ll certainly enjoy!

1 package Ground Jennie-O Turkey 99% Fat Free
3 Scallions chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Few slivers of fresh garlic, diced
Pinch of ground black pepper to taste

1.) Mix together all ingredients, form into 4 to 5 patties
2.) Place patties in a nonstick baking dish.
3.) Bake for 20 minutes @ 350°

Mayo Spread: Mix mayonnaise with fresh lemon juice and roasted garlic or garlic flakes, mix together and spread on top. Use ‘Best Foods’ low fat mayo. It has no Hydrogenated oils. One of the only ones on the market.

Serving Suggestions
For Lunch: Serve in a whole wheat bun w/sweet potato fries (medium portion) & small fruit cup.
For Dinner: Serve patty only (no bun), & serve w/sweet potato fries (small portion) & small dinner salad.

A flavorful favorite that you can enjoy without guilt. Add your own spices to taste. If you’re not a shrimp eater, then skip it. The kielbasa is more than enough flavor

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and chopped
1 package turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4-1/2 chunks (I prefer not to use the smoked kielbasa, due to MSG)
1-1/2 cups cooked pinto beans, low sodium
16 oz. can Cajun style stewed tomatoes (or use Italian flavor, or whatever your preference)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
Optional: 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley or parsley flakes
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
Salt to taste
1/2 cup water
2 cups long grain brown rice, cooked (if you want to feed more people, then use 3-4 cups rice)

DIRECTIONS
1.) In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery and peppers until they soften.
2.) Add garlic, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, Tabasco sauce, salt and water.
3.)Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until veggies are semi soft (not soggy).
4.) Stir in pinto beans.
5.) Heat skillet with few drops of olive oil over medium to high heat. Add turkey sausage and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
6.) Add shrimp to kielbasa, cook for 3 more minutes.
7.) Add shrimp, kielbasa, and cooked rice to pot of veggies and simmer for 5 minutes, while stirring.

NUTRITION INFO (per 4-ounce serving)
Calories: 467.7
Fat: 10.2 g
Carbohydrates: 69.6 g
Protein: 27.1 g