Healthy, Flavorful, Nutrient Dense Recipes with Carol Bell, RD

3-4 servings

Ingredients:
Veggies:
2 medium green zucchinis, cut into ½ inch half rounds
2 medium yellow summer squash, cut into ½ inch half rounds
1 large onion, 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes or 4-5 quartered roma tomatoes

Sauce:
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
4 inch piece of English cucumber, diced
2 Tbsp sesame tahini
Juice of ½ lemon
1 clove of garlic (optional)
Water to thin (about 2/3 cup)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Cut the zucchini and squash lengthwise first and then into ½ inch chunks. Spread the zucchini, onion pieces and tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast them in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until desired tenderness.

In a blender, combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and about half of the
water. Puree until smooth adding in additional water to thin to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For a complete plant-based meal:
Add in 1 can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained) and toss with the cooked vegetables. Serve with pita bread or cooked quinoa.

For a complete omnivore meal:
Serve with cooked chicken or fish.

Ingredients
4 cups water
1 ½ tbsp sea salt (not iodized salt)
Sliced raw vegetables to fill a 1 quart jar – see below

You will need a one quart wide-mouth mason jar and a smaller jar. The small jar should be able to fit
snugly in the mouth of the quart jar in order to weigh down the vegetables during fermentation. This
keeps the vegetables submerged under the brine.

Scrub both of these jars with hot soapy water, rinse
well and let air dry.

Directions
In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and dissolve. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Place the vegetables into the clean, dry quart glass jar. Pack them down well and fill it about ¾ full.

Place a cabbage leaf or a few grape leaves on top to hold the vegetables down. Pour the cooled saltwater liquid over the vegetables to the top of the jar.

Fill the small jar with a little water (for heaviness) and cap it tight. Then put the small jar inside the first jar to keeps the vegetables submerged under the liquid. Let it stand on the counter to ferment, about 3-
5 days. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap if desired. If the room temperature is consistently over 75
degrees it will ferment quickly or it may taste less appealing than if the room is in the 65-70 degree range. This is why it is best to ferment during cool fall weather.

Once a day, tap the jar on the counter gently to tap out the air bubbles. Make sure there is enough brine in the jar and that the small jar is holding the vegetables down under the brine completely.

After 3 days, taste the pickles. If they are sour enough for your taste, refrigerate them. Otherwise let stand on the counter another day or two or more.

Serve 2 or 3 pickles with lunch and dinner.

Pickles will keep refrigerated about 1-2 months when stored in their brine.

A few suggestions for vegetable combinations you could use:
• 3 cups of carrots, small cauliflower florets and sliced onions

• 3 cups of chunks of small pickling cucumbers (ends trimmed off), 2 cloves of garlic cut in half, 3
sprigs of dill, 2 or 3 grape leaves (grape leaves makes the cucumbers more crispy)

• 1 large turnip sliced thin, 1 small beet sliced thin

• 3 cups of sliced carrots, 3 sprigs of dill

• Large handful of tender green beans, ends trimmed, 2 tsp peppercorns

Yield: 4 servings
Time to make: About 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp grated lemon rind2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 scallions, minced fine (or 2 cloves minced garlic)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp honey
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 pound of redskin or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 ½ cups fresh green beans, 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup chopped olives
• 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped finely

In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice and rind, olive oil, minced scallions, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk well and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and place the potatoes in the boiling water and cover and cook until
just tender. Rinse with cold water to halt the cooking. Place the potatoes in the large bowl with the dressing. Steam the green beans in a steamer until tender. Rinse with cold water, drain and add to the
potatoes. Add in the dressing, olives, fresh herbs and combine gently. Season with additional salt or pepper as desired. Serve slightly warm or chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more for best flavor.

Keeps for 4 days in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestions:
For a complete omnivore meal, serve the salad on a bed of spring mix or spinach and add a cooked protein like baked chicken or fish.

For a complete vegetarian meal, serve the salad on a bed of spring mix or spinach and top with quartered hard-boiled eggs or cubes of baked tofu.

Berry Basil Popsicles
Yield: 6 popsicles

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries or blackberries (or a mixture)
• ¼ cup chopped basil leaves
• 3 Tbsp honey, agave or maple syrup

Directions:
Puree the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and add a popsicle stick or handle. Freeze for 6+ hours until frozen solid. Remove from the mold by running the mold under hot running water to loosen the popsicle.

Tropical Popsicles
Yield: 6 popsicles

Ingredients:

• 1 very ripe mango
  ½ banana
• 1 cup pineapple cubes
• ½ cup canned coconut milk

To cut a mango: Scrub the mango under running water. Then stand it up on a cutting board on its narrow end.

Slice along the side just off center to avoid the large, flat pit. Slice off both sides and then around the pit. Slice each half into strips. Run the knife under each strip to separate the fruit from the skin.

To cut a whole pineapple: Scrub the pineapple well under running water and pat it dry. Cut off the top
and bottom of the pineapple and set it upright on the flat edge. Starting at the top, cut off the skin in strips all around the sides of the pineapple pushing the knife downward toward the cutting board.
Remove all the skin and “eyes”.

Slice the pineapple from the top down through the middle and then from the top down into quarters. Slice off the core from top to bottom. Lay the pineapple strip on its
side and slice into long strips and then into small chunks.

Directions:
Add all the ingredients to the blender and puree well until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and add a popsicle stick or handle. Freeze for 6+ hours until frozen solid. Remove from the mold by running the mold under hot running water to loosen the popsicle.

Soup’s on! Load up on fiber and antioxidants with this flavorful, nutrient-dense Creamy Cauliflower Soup that’s also dairy free!

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small celery root, peeled & chopped into ½ inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 1 small head of cauliflower, chopped (4-5 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 quart of broth
• 1 bay leaf or a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme
• ½ tsp salt
• 1-2 cups unsweetened plant milk (coconut, soy, or Ripple milk)
• Pepper
• Optional garnishes below

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sautè onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes until just soft.

2. Add celery root cubes, cauliflower and broth, bring to a slow boil.

3. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes until very soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Remove the bay leaf or woody stems of the herbs.

4. Puree in batches in a blender with the plant milk as needed to reach desired consistency.

5. Ladle into bowls and season with pepper and any optional garnishes.

Below are a few ideas for optional toppings and garnishes for soup. Look around your kitchen and see what you have. Using something with a contrasting color or texture is ideal.

• Toasted sunflower seeds or toasted sliced almonds
• A few sautéed carrots or slices of roasted sweet potato
• Fresh chopped herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, thyme, dill, chives, green onions or sage
• A few raw celery leaves
• Sprinkle of paprika or nutmeg

Root vegetables are the foods of choice for winter months and late spring because they can be stored for many months after harvesting. Many local farms sell their root vegetable crops through March or April so inquire at farms near you.

Yield: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• ½ Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, sliced in matchsticks
• 1 Tbsp water
• 2 medium turnips, sliced in matchsticks
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup frozen peas (or fresh pea pods, sliced in strips)
• ½ tsp grated orange peel
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 wedge of fresh orange (1/8 of an orange)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, then add the olive oil and carrots.

Add a tablespoonful of water, cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or halfway cooked through. Add in the turnips and sautè until the vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in the peas, orange peel, honey and stir until combined. Squeeze the orange juice over the vegetables, mix gently and then serve.

Watch Carol Bell make this simple, flavorful recipe in the Heritage Kitchen with the team at 9and10 News

4-6 servingsThis roasted asparagus is a delicious accompaniment for any meal or as a pre-dinner snack.

Serving suggestions:
 At breakfast alongside some poached eggs
 On top of a bowl of leafy greens, with cooked quinoa, chickpeas and avocado
 As a side dish for baked fish, chicken, beef or tofu
Gomasio is a crunchy, savory topping that is common in Japanese cooking. It is made from toasted
sesame seeds, salt and may include a bit of nori, a dry seaweed. (Nori is the seaweed wrapper around a
sushi roll or a California roll.)

Ingredients
1 lb asparagus, tough ends trimmed off
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp raw, unhulled sesame seeds
1/8 tsp salt (or less for low sodium diets)
¼ sheet of nori seaweed (optional), snipped into fine shreds with scissors
Olive oil

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if desired.

To make the gomasio, heat a skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the seeds and let them
toast for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan every minute or so. They should smell toasty and start to
brown just slightly. Don’t overbrown them or they will taste bitter. When fully toasted they will crush
easily between your thumb and ring finger. Allow to cool. Put the seeds in a blender (or use a mortar
and pestle to crush them) with a few pinches of salt and grind to a powder. If you over-blend it will
become like nut butter, so go gently with the blender. Dump into a container, mix in the nori bits and
store at room temp for 1-2 weeks. Can store it longer (1 month) in the fridge or freezer.

Place the asparagus on the baking sheet and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and mix to combine. Roast
the asparagus for 5 minutes for crisp, bright green stalks that are just tender to the bite. Arrange on a
plate or on top of your greens with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with the gomasio mixture.