Ingredients:

3 eggs plus 1 egg white
½ cup homemade applesauce and ½ cup grapeseed oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup Rapadura (sugar)
3 cups grated zucchini
2 1/3 cups spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup crushed walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Combine eggs, applesauce, oil, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl.
4. Add zucchini, mixing well.
5. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
6. Slowly add flour mix to the zucchini mixture. Blend well and stir in walnuts.
7. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the muffins comes out clean.
8. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Note: These muffins freeze well. Wrap each muffin individually and store in a freezer bag.

Ingredients:

5 pounds fresh apples
3 cups spring water
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2-4 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:

1. Wash the apples, quarter them, and core them, but do not peal.
2. Put them in a large non-reactive pot with the spring water and the spices.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring often with a long-handled wooden spoon, for about 1½ hours, or until the apples have softened to the consistency you like.

Enjoy!

If apple skins don’t bother you, you’re done. If you want a more refined applesauce, without the skins, take the applesauce in 2-3 batches and push it through an old-fashioned colander or vegetable mill with the big holes. Discard the skins.

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon miso
½ teaspoon honey
10 pitted kalamata olives
Season with sea salt if needed

Instructions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend well.
2. Pour over your favorite greens.
3. Adjust ingredients to your taste.

Enjoy!

Lorna Sass’ Crunchy Quinoa Salad fit the bill. This recipe is taken from Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen cookbook. I have adapted it by replacing couscous with quinoa, I just like it better. This dish tastes best when made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight, to give the flavors a chance to mingle. It’s a great recipe to prepare for a crowd. It yields about 6-8 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups water or vegetable stock
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup quinoa
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 cup cooked chickpeas
¼ cup minced chives or scallion greens
½ cup dried currants
¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, approximately
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon lemon pepper, or to taste

Instructions:

1. In a 1½ or 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the water or vegetable broth, spices, and 2 tablespoons of oil. Bring the water to boil and whisk in the quinoa. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
2. When quinoa is done, transfer to a large serving bowl and fluff with a fork until the quinoa releases all of its steam.
3. Toss in the carrot, apple, chickpeas, chives or scallion greens, currants, and toasted sunflower seeds.
4. In a small jar, combine remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, salt and lemon pepper. Pour over the quinoa and toss until thoroughly blended. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if needed. (The salad should taste lively and pleasantly puckery).
5. Chill for at least 4 hours. Bring to room temperature, toss, and adjust seasonings before serving.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers (use a variety of colors)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch of cayenne, or more to taste
3 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes (28-ounce can)
1 ½ cups cooked or canned kidney beans (15-ounce can, drained)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh or frozen okra (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or minced scallions

Instructions:

1. Combine the onions, garlic, and olive oil in a soup pot. Cover and sauté on medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened.
2. Add the carrots, celery, bell peppers, oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, and cayenne. Cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
3. When the vegetables are just tender, stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, mustard, and okra, if desired.
4. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with parley or scallions.

Enjoy!

Menu Suggestions: Serve these beans over brown rice or quinoa with corn bread and a side of sautéed kale and mushrooms.

In addition, we also took the TRX Suspension Trainer by Fitness Anywhere to get some resistance training while in the comfort of our hotel room. It provides a way to exercise your total body while using only your body weight for resistance. Whether you are traveling by car or plane, it’s the one piece of equipment you can take with you anywhere. This amazing piece of equipment fits neatly in any carry-on bag and is light weight. I own two of them, one for John and one for me. I like the fact that the TRX has so many uses, is very affordable and can be used pretty much anywhere. So the next time you are traveling and don’t want to miss a work out, look into purchasing a TRX Suspension Trainer.

Ingredients:

2 cups sunflower seeds
1 cup cashews
1 cup almonds (I use sliced almonds)
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup flax seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon anise seeds
1/3 cup maple syrup

(You may need to add a tablespoon more of maple syrup…every piece should have a thin coat for sticking together after syrup hardens.)

NOTE: All nuts and seeds should be raw.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Put half the syrup in a big mixing bowl.
4. Add sunflower seeds.  Mix until well coated.
5. Add remaining nuts.  Fold and mix well.
6. Add remainder of maple syrup and coat thoroughly.
7. Spread mixture evenly on the cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.
8. Check at 15 minutes and if the nuts are toasted and hardened in the center (not soft and sticky) pull it out of the oven.
9. Let cool.  Break apart.  Get ready for more…yum.

Enjoy!