Quinoa Mac and Cheese with Spinach

1 cup organic quinoa
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
6 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup grated goat Gouda cheese
Directions
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.
Add the quinoa, and cook until the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain in a mesh strainer, and rinse until cold; set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, stir in the sunflower seeds, and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic softens and the aroma mellows, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the cooled quinoa and spinach; cook and stir until the quinoa is hot, and the spinach has wilted.
Stir in the lemon juice, and all but a pinch of the cheese.
Stir until the cheese has melted.
Serve right away, sprinkled with the remaining cheese.
from cuceesprouts

Vegetarian Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup with Lime

4-6 servings
(recipe adapted from Black Bean Soup with Sweet Potatoes found in Fine Cooking Soups and Stews.)

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced small
1 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 - 1 tsp. ground cumin (I used a whole teaspoon, but I love cumin)
1/4 tsp. ground fennel
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock (or use 3 cans broth and just freeze the extra)
salt to taste
2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
fat free Greek yogurt or light sour cream for serving
lime wedges to squeeze into the soup, optional

Heat olive oil in heavy soup pot, add diced onion and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, or until onions are just starting to brown. Add minced garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground fennel and fresh-ground black pepper and saute 1-2 minutes more, or until spices are becoming fragrant.

While onions are cooking, peel and dice sweet potato and rinse beans until no more foam appears, then drain. After onions and spice mixture have been sauteed, add the diced sweet potatoes, black beans, and vegetable or chicken stock to the soup pot, along with salt to taste. Let soup simmer on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are falling-apart tender. (There will be some foam from the beans that rises to the top during cooking; just skim off with a large spoon or stock skimmer.)

When sweet potatoes are tender, use a slotted spoon to remove 3 cups of beans and sweet potatoes; then use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the remaining soup. (Be very careful with the hot soup if using a regular blender; fill the blender container only about 3/4 full and hold the lid on the blender with a towel or hot pad draped over the lid.)

Add the reserved sweet potatoes and beans back into the soup and simmer about 15 minutes more. Taste to see if you want to add more salt; then add the lime juice and simmer about 5 minutes more.

Serve hot, with a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt or light sour cream. If desired you can serve with lime wedges so people who want to can squeeze more lime juice into their soup.

From Kalyn'sKitchen

Artichoke Chevre Dip

2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1 8 oz. package of fresh chevre cheese
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon grated pecorino romano
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

In the bowl of your food processor, combine the artichokes, chevre, lemon zest, pecorino, mustard, capers, pepper and parsley, and pulse 4 or 5 times. You want the mixture to be smooth, but with texture. Check the salt and acid levels, and add some salt or a squeeze or two of lemon juice if necessary.This dip will keep a day or so wrapped tight and refrigerated. Garnish with a few leaves of fresh parsley and some capers and serve with toasted pita triangles or baguette slices.

From The Family Kitchen

ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH & GORGONZOLA SALAD

(serves 4)
1 small (or half of a large) butternut squash
olive oil for roasting
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed & dried
150g Gorgonzola (or blue cheese of your choice)
1/4 cup spicy roasted pumkin seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used spiced fig balsamic vinegar)
Salt and black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Peel the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and chop into cubes or wedges, depending on your preference. Toss the pieces in the olive oil and ground cinnamon to coat, then spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown.

If using the seeds from the same butternut squash to make my spicy roasted pumkin seeds, then do this while the butternut is roasting. Alternatively, use a batch of seeds you prepared earlier and save these for another batch.

Divide the washed spinach leaves between 4 shallow bowls or plates. Once the butternut is cooked, divide amongst the 4 plates and arrange on the leaves. Crumble the cheese and divide equally between the plates, sprinkling it over the leaves and butternut.

Mix together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper for the dressing and drizzle over the salad. Top each plate with a quarter of the spicy roasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

from CookSister

Pumpkin Raisin Muffins - Low Fat Recipe

Makes 16 servings

This low-fat version of the original is quite moist and tasty. Made with whole wheat flour and flaxseed at only 139 cals per serving, this makes the perfect breakfast on the go!

Ingredients
1/4 c flax seed
3/4 c all purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup splenda
3/4 cup applesauce
14 oz canned pumpkin
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp white vinegar
2 eggs
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions
Mix milk and vinegar in separate container. Let set for 5 mins. (This mixture replaces buttermilk)

Whisk together all dry ingredients. Then combine brown sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Stir/fold in raisins. Spoon into greased muffin pan or use paper muffin cups.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Grease muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops spring back or insert toothpick until it comes back clean.