The Depot Farm

  This recipe is great looking and great tasting. Serve it warm or chilled. Enjoy!

• 3 or 4 kale leaves cooked and chopped; center spine removed.       
  
• 1 sweet potato cooked, skinned and cut into cubes
• 1/2 can chickpeas
• 1/2 can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 4 or 5 asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 in. pieces
• 1/2 stalk celery, cut thin
• 1 or 2 slices red  onion, cut in half
• basil and oregano seasoning

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and toss lightly. Heat in microwave till slightly warm or serve cold.

Enjoy this salad alone or as a side dish!

• 1/2 can cooked spinach
• 1/2 can chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 slice onion cut into small pieces
  
• 1/2 cup cooked whole grain pasta

   Combine all ingredients except pasta in a pan and heat on medium until warmed through. Add pasta and mix well. Serve warm.

  A easy, great tasting soup!

• 1/2 can spinach
• 1/2 can chickpeas
• small carrot, onion and celery chopped fine
• 1/2 can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon each basil, oregano, tyme, rosemary, garlic
• 11/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
  

Combine ingredients and simmer for 1/2 hour or until veggies are tender. Serve with fresh salad and Italian bread!

  Today's recipe is a spicy and naturally sweet pick-me-up for a healthy snack!  

• 1 cored apple, sliced into 1/4" pieces (leave skin on)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground ginger root
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  Mix ingredients together in a sauce pan; cook on medium heat until apples are soft. (Add enough water or apple juice to pan to keep from sticking and burning.) Transfer onto a plate and enjoy with raspberry or herbal tea!

Today's recipe is for an open faced sandwich.

• 1 bunch asparagus - cut into 2 inch pieces
• artichoke hearts - drained and cut into quarters
• red onion - sliced and separated into rings
  
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fat-free Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix well; let marinate 2 hours. Heat oven to 450 degrees; spread mixture on foil covered baking sheet and roast for 12 - 15 minutes until asparagus is cooked. Place cooked veggies back into the bowl and allow to cool. Serve cooled mixture over a slice of toasted whole wheat bread. Garnish with orange slices.

 

  A great bean soup for a very cold day!

3/4 cup dry beans

1 can chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup diced onions

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

4 cups vegetable stock/broth

                                                                                        

• Rinse beans, cover with water in a pot, bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and set aside for 1 hr
• In a larger pot, cook onions in a little oil till translucent (about 3 -5 min)
• Add 4 cups broth
• Drain beans, rinse, add to onions and broth, bring to boil, then simmer covered on low about 2 hrs till beans are tender
• Add can of tomatoes (including the liquid) and 1/2 cup rice to mixture, cover and simmer another 30 min.
• Now add chopped veggies and cook covered an additional 30-45 min or until veggies are tender

• Season to taste with a little oregano, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper

Serve with warm crusty bread.

                         

  After the long holidays of eating rich foods and deserts I don't normally indulge in;  I like to go back to eating healthy, natural foods. One of my favorites is a simple salad with fruit dressing. Mix lettuce with chopped veggies and add pineapple chunks, orange slices or any "soft" fruit. For the dressing, blend or puree 2 tablespoons of orange or cherry juice with 1 ripe banana till smooth. Pour over salad mix. This method works well with almost any fruit! Use blueberries or cranberries for a more tart dressing; raspberries or pear slices for sweeter version. With no added sugar or oil needed, this dressing light on fat and empty calories. A great little "pick me up" meal in winter!

Today's recipe is sesame chicken. You will need about 1 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into 2-3 in. strips, 2 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs flour and about 3/4 cup of sesame seeds. 

• pour soy sauce into 9x13 baking dish
• mix flour, sesame seeds and pepper to taste in a separate dish
• dredge chicken strips in soy sauce and then roll into sesame mixture to coat
• bake in same dish at 400 degrees for about 20 -25 min. until chicken is fully cooked and golden brown
• serve over rice with steamed peas and cooked carrot slivers

Here's a salad that tastes good cold or warm; or serve it as a side dish. Enjoy! 

• 4 cups baby kale chopped
• 1 cup cooked artichokes
• Italian salad dressing
• 3-4 leaves fresh basil chopped fine
  
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers cut into pieces

1) Steam kale until tender

2) Combine kale, artichokes and basil in a sauce pan: add enough Italian dressing to keep from sticking; and place over medium heat (about 5 min.) or until artichokes are warmed through. Stir occasionally.

3) Place onto serving dish and sprinkle with red peppers and serve.

Easy to make oatmeal bars for lunches and snacks!  Takes about 15 minutes.

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal  (not instant)

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar (optional- if you like sweeter granola bars)

Roast oatmeal and nuts in oven at 350 degrees about 10 minutes or till golden brown. Mix remaining ingredients; add roasted oatmeal and nuts and stir until well coated and blended. Pour into square baking dish (coated with non-stick spray); cover with wax paper and press mixture down firmly with your hand. Remove paper, refrigerate 2-3 hours

Take out, cut into bars and store in covered container in fridge with wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.

You can add cranberries, dates, dried cherries etc. to this mix; whatever you like. The bars stay together and hold their shape well.               Enjoy!

       Here's an great recipe using turnips and other fall crops. Enjoy!

2 turnips peeled, halved and sliced thin                                                        

2-3 red apples cored, unpeeled and cut into 3/4" cubes

1 med. celeriac peeled & grated

1/2 carrot  grated

1/2c chopped raisins

1/4c walnuts chopped

1/2c orange juice

1/2 c mayonnaise

 Place 1/4c orange juice in a bowl; add celeriac, turnips, carrots and apples; let mix marinate 10-15 min. Stir occasionally. Wisk mayonnaise with remaining orange juice until smooth. Pour over the marinated mixture. Add raisins and walnuts and mix well. Chill before serving.