Recipe: Harvest Quinoa Salad

1 cup Red Quiona – rinsed and cooked (cook like rice)
1 cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Bag – 1cup? Chopped Pecans
1 cup diced apples
1 cup diced roasted golden beets (optional, I happened to have them on hand)
1 cup reduced fat feta
1 tsp each: cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg
Bag of romaine hearts, torn

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Cook & cool quinoa, then mix everything together with the Romain.

Dressing:
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 Maple Syrup
1/4 Water
1 TB Dijon Mustard
2 TB Orange Juice
3 TB (or to taste) Balsamic

Recipe: Roast Garlic & Tomato Soup

Makes 7 quarts
Start to finish = 15 minutes
Prep = 5 minutes

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Ingredients:
9 Tbls + 1 tsp olive oil
18 cloves minced garlic
6 quarts tomato juice
48 oz. crushed tomatoes
3 Tbls + 1 tsp paprika
1 cup sweet vermouth

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Directions:
Saute the garlic in olive oil very briefly, taking care not to brown it. Stir in the paprika and saute for another minute, stirring continuously, and taking care that it doesnt scorch.

Stire in the tomato juice and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil; reduce heat and add vermouth. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Optional: Garnish with parmesan and croutons.

Variations: Add cooked garbanzo beans and garnish with shredded feta cheese and chopped parsley. Or – add tabasco and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

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I make this soup all winter long. Every fall I bring a batch to work and every absolutely RAVES about it. It is SERIOUSLY easy to make and tastes delicious – this is coming from somebody who DOES NOT LIKE tomato soup. But I LOVE this soup.

….courtesy Yo-Cones Recipe Book, Sara Basso

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

This dish is so easy to make, it is perfect for gatherings or parties!

Ingredients:

2 cans chopped chicken, rinsed and drained
1/2 block cream cheese ( I used 1/3 fat )
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup ranch dressing ( I used low fat )
Louisiana hot sauce to taste – you could use all of this, or half of this. Up to you.
1/2 cup Chopped green onions, optional. I had some on hand.

Directions:
Toss all in crock pot and turn on, stirring occasionally 🙂

Use with any sort of chip, bread, or veggies if you want to go healthy.