Chilled Avocado Soup

5 minutes

• 4 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 avocados
• 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 C water
• 4 Tbsp coconut milk (optional)
• 4 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Peel and core the avocados. Put the lime juice, avocado, jalapeno, garlic and water into a blender. Puree the mix, then pour into bowls for serving. You can garnish each serving with 1 Tbsp coconut milk and 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, if you wish. I like to let this soup chill in the refrigerator for a bit before serving.

Zone Info: 4 servings at 1/2 block carb, 11 blocks fat





Spicy Sweet Potatoes

20 minutes

• 1 medium sweet potato or yam
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Cut the sweet potato into eighths lengthwise, then cut each wedge crosswise in half. Put the oil and seasonings into a zip lock bag, add the potato wedges and close the bag. Mix until the wedges are coated with oil and spices, then empty the wedges onto a roasting pan. Bake between 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees, turning the wedges once or twice.

Zone Info: Weigh the sweet potato or yam before cooking to determine how many carb blocks you will have (4 oz. = 3 carb blocks, 1 Tbsp olive oil = 9 fat blocks.) I usually use one medium sweet potato as 2 servings.






Spinach and Tahini

Here is a Middle Eastern side dish that is quick to prepare. A great way to get in the greens if you are tiring of salads!

10 minutes

• 8 C spinach
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Add 1/2 cup of water to a medium pot, add the spinach, and boil for around 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Drain the spinach in a strainer, press to remove most of the water. Put the spinach into a bowl.

Chop the garlic, then add it to a blender along with the tahini, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of water. Puree the mixture, then pour onto the spinach and mix well. Top with the sesame seeds.

Zone Info: 2 blocks carb, 18 blocks fat





Sweet Potato Salad

1 hour 20 minutes

• 2 medium sweet potatoes or yams
• 1 C chopped carrots
• 1 C chopped celery
• 2 chopped hard boiled eggs
• 3 Tbsp canola mayonnaise

Place the potato and carrots into a large pot, add water, and boil for 1 hr. Remove and let cool, then chop into 1 inch squares.

Meanwhile, boil 2 eggs separately for 10 minutes, then cool under cold water. Remove the shells and chop. When the potatoes are done, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mix well.

Zone Info: Weigh the sweet potato or yam before cooking to determine how many carb blocks you will have (4 oz. = 3 carb blocks, 1 cup carrots = 2 carb blocks, 1 cup celery = 1 carb block.) Total recipe as above: 26 blocks fat, 2 blocks protein.




Pork and Cactus Stew
Scott Kustes

30 minutes prep, 4-8 hours cook

· 2 lbs pork, cubed
· 1 white onion, sliced
· 3 C cactus, rinsed and cut to strips
· 3 Tbsp olive oil
· 6 cloves garlic, diced
· 12 tomatillos, leaves peeled
· 1 red pepper, diced
· 1 yellow pepper, diced
· Cumin
· Pepper
· Cilantro
· 1 27oz can El Pato
· Chiles, to taste

First, we’ll put the crock pot to use so that, in the words of Mr. Wolf himself, “Your tasty meal will be cooking along while you perform feats of multi-tasking greatness” (PM Issue 3). Cube and trim the visible fat off of your pork. You can cut the tomatillos, but I just leave them whole. The long cooking will make them pretty much fall apart. Line the outside with tomatillos. You can either purchase whole cactus pads here or get it at most grocery stores in water and salt. If you buy it canned in salt, rinse well. Put the cactus in the ring formed by the tomatillos. Drizzle the olive oil and add the garlic, then cover with the onion and peppers. Add the spices as you see fit. I use cilantro sparingly and get a bit gluttonous with the cumin and pepper. Pour the can of El Pato over top and set the crock pot for as long as you need. I typically go at about 6 hours, stirring every hour or so beyond 3 hours. If the tomatillos don’t quite “fall apart”, a bit of coercion with your spoon will do the job once they’ve cooked for 4 or 5 hours.

You can add chiles if El Pato isn’t quite hot enough for you. I’m a “If I can still taste it, it’s not hot enough” type of guy and 2 jalapenos makes it about perfect. El Pato alone adds a nice kick though if your taste buds are a bit more on the sensitive side.

Zone Info: 5 servings at 5P, 6F, 2C




Ceviche
Scott Kustes

15 minutes prep, 6 hours set time

· 2 lbs of firm, fresh red snapper fillets, cut into small cubes, completely deboned
· 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
· 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
· 1/2 purple onion, finely diced
· 1 cup of fresh peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
· 1 Serrano chili, seeded and finely diced
· 2 teaspoons of salt (optional)
· Pepper
· Dash of ground oregano
· Dash of Tabasco or a few grains of cayenne pepper
· 2 Avocado, cut into 1/2” chunks
· Cilantro

In Issue 5, Robb gave us the “Pomi Really Quick Ceviche”, which is quite tasty. This is a not-so-quick recipe, but is quite authentic and makes a lot. It can serve as an appetizer or the protein portion of a meal. In a non-reactive casserole dish, either Pyrex or ceramic, place the fish, onion, tomatoes, chili, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and oregano. You can use shrimp and/or scallops as a substitute for some of the fish. You can also use a firm cod in place of the red snapper or tilapia in a pinch. I like to mix 2 or 3 types of seafood – just make sure you use 2 pounds in total. Cover the seafood with the lime and lemon juice. Let it all sit covered in the refrigerator for an hour, then stir, making sure more of the fish gets exposed to the acidic lime and lemon juices. The acidity of the lime and lemon juices will “cook” the fish without heat, killing any bacteria that may have had the gall to come in contact with your seafood. Let the mixture sit for at least 6 hours, giving time for the flavors to blend. When it’s time to serve, chop some cilantro and avocado over the top. This can be eaten with tortillas, tortilla chips, or just by itself.

Zone Info: 32P, 10C, 4F



Zucchini & Mushroom Soup
Scott Kustes

45 minutes

· 1 small onion, chopped
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 3-4 medium zucchini chopped
· 1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped
· 6 cups of water
· 1/2 c quinoa*
· 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
· 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Sauté the onion in oil until clear, and then add zucchini and mushrooms. Sauté 5 more minutes, and then add water, quinoa, and seasonings. Simmer 12-15 minutes. Now you get to choose how chunky you want your soup. You need to pour the soup into a blender to make it creamy, but you have to remove the chunks that you want to have. I generally get a slotted spoon and fill a serving bowl full of the veggies, then blend the rest until creamy. Once you’re done, put the non-blended vegetables in with the rest of the mixture and serve hot. When blending hot liquids, it is a good idea to leave a crack in the lid for ventilation.

*While technically classified as a fruit, Quinoa should be considered a grain in terms of antinutrient and carbohydrate content and should be avoided by individuals who experience adverse reactions to grain consumption.

Zone Info: 5 servings at 2C



Cinnamon Swirl
Nikki Young

• 1/3 C almonds (un-salted)
• 1/3 C cashews (un-salted)
• 1/3 C walnuts
• 4 Tbsp raisins
• 10 dates
• Dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and All Spice
• Roughly chopped nuts for texture (optional)

If using hard dates, heat up the dates in the microwave (or oven) for 30 seconds so they become soft and easier to mold and blend together. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender. At the end, add some chopped up nuts to add some crunch.

Place into a tray lined with baking paper to prevent sticking, making it easier to remove. Tightly pack the mixture together as hard as you can before placing in the fridge to cool for a few hours. When cooled, remove from tray and cut into bar shapes.

Zone info: 4 servings at 10 fat, 2 carb



Chocolate Punch
Nikki Young

• 1/3 C almonds (un-salted)
• 2/3 C cashews (un-salted)
• 1/3 C walnuts
• 3 decent Tbsp scoops un-sweetened cocoa powder
• 1Tbsp raisins
• 18 dates

If using hard dates, heat up the dates in the microwave (or oven) for 30seconds so they become soft and easier to mold and blend together. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender.

Place into a tray lined with baking paper to prevent sticking, making it easier to remove. Tightly pack the mixture together as hard as you can before placing in the fridge to cool for a few hours. When cooled, remove from tray and cut into bar shapes.

Zone info: 5 servings at 11.5 fat, 2 carb