Recipes Rated RA-easy / RA-healthy

If you have a recipe that is  either particularly easy to prepare – or –  especially healthy, send it in  and maybe we can use it on this page!

 

 

Quick, Fresh, Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1. Chop up a bunch of ripe tomatoes — about 3 cups worth.
2. Slice 1/2 to 1 cup of pimiento or kalamata olives (whatever you have on hand).
3. Splop a generous dollop of olive oil into a big fry pan and heat it.
4. When the olive oil is hot, dump in the olives; fresh chopped garlic to taste (I love garlic & used four cloves, but I get it frozen and pre-chopped at Trader Joe’s); some fresh chopped basil to taste (same thing, also frozen from Trader Joe’s); and then sauté everything for a minute or so. You can add chopped onions, too, if you like. My hands were achy, so I didn’t use them.
5. Dump in tomatoes.
6. Generously sprinkle dried oregano or Italian seasoning & salt & pepper to taste.
7. Cook until the tomatoes sorta melt & break down; then cook a little longer to concentrate the flavor and thicken the sauce.

For a meaty sauce, you could always add sautéed ground beef or cooked chicken; Then it would be chicken cacciatore — always impressive!
 

Notes: A few days ago I went out to check the garden. The last time I’d looked, there’d been nothing but green tomatoes… and the cool days of fall squarely upon us…
You can imagine my surprise at lots of ripe tomatoes just waiting to be picked. There were far too many for my family. So I put several in a bag for my next-door neighbor. She was delighted. She was going to use them to make a quick pan spaghetti sauce for dinner that very evening. She told me how.
Oh, is this good. It’s a “pan” sauce. My daughter and son-in-law, who live mostly on pizza &Taco Bell, and eye most vegetables with deep suspicion, waxed poetic after eating it. Wren 

Pumpkin milkshake recipe

by Kelly
Blend these ingredients using a stick blender or traditional blender. Makes 2 servings.

2 ½ cups vanilla ice cream (frozen yogurt is fine)
¾ cooked pumpkin (canned works fine)
1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or combination cinnamon, ginger, & cloves)
¾ low fat milk (skim is fine)
1 heaping T ground flaxseed (about 2 T prior to grinding with electric coffee grinder)

This one is easy, healthy, fun, and delicious. And it’s great for Florida, where we’re hot all year!

 

Pumpkin Shortcut Coffee Cake

by Kelly
Cake:
1 box plain cake mix (set aside 1/3 cup)
1 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 canola oil
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed (I grind seeds in electric coffee grinder.)
¼ cup oat bran
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins

Streusel filling / topping:
1/3 cup reserved cake mix
¼ cup ground flaxseed
¼ cup rolled oats
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons softened butter

1 cup broken walnuts (I like to use more)

Method:
Combine cake ingredients in one bowl. Stir until all are combined and moistened. It is thick, so it helps to add the raisins last. Spread a little more than ½ of mixture in a pan that is sprayed with baking spray. I’ve used several kinds of pans; glass 9 x 13 is fine. Combine filling ingredients in separate bowl. Crumble a little less than ½ of the filling ingredients onto the cake batter. Sprinkle the walnuts over. Spread the second half of the batter over the filling by large spoonfuls. It’s okay if it’s messy when you spread out the spoonfuls. Crumble the last of the topping over top. Bake about 25 minutes at 350.

Note: I never break the walnuts. That is the worst pain in the hands. Get someone to do a whole container of them for you so they will be on hand – or buy them pre-broken. This cake is so moist and tasty no one even guesses at all those healthy ingredients.

 

Lazy Enchiladas

by Robin Parks

I am from Arizona, and I love Mexican food! The bad thing is that all ingredients seem to be required to be in little pieces and chopping, shredding, slicing and dicing are a bit beyond me right now! I can’t say this is exactly healthy, but it is a breeze to make…in fact the kids can do it! This is also a pliable recipe according to what you like.

1 20 count package of taquitos (any flavor)
1 can enchilada sauce (I like Macayo’s)
1 can green chilies
1 can sliced olives
1 bag pre-shredded cheese

Place taquitos in a large baking dish. I use the cheap metal ones because they are lighter.  Some may need to be stacked, but they can go in any which way.  Pour enchilada sauce over taquitos.  Spread green chilies, olives and cheese over the top.  Place in 350 degree oven or toaster oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Note from Robin: Many other things can be put in this (lettuce, tomatoes) but this is the baseline.  This is an easy meal, and it really does taste like enchiladas minus the effort! Have a great day…

My notes: Thanks, Robin. This is super RA-easy and a great excuse to eat oh-so-healthy guacamole and other healthful add-ons like cilantro, cheeses, pinto beans, chili powder, or garlic.

 

Rose Bowl Soup …in 3 easy steps

by Kelly

1) Cook the vegetables

Wash & roughly chop:
2 small onions
3 green onions
4 carrots
½ cup fresh parsley
2 potatoes (peeled only if you prefer to)
3 ribs celery with leaves
3 beets (peeled)

Place 3 T olive oil in large pot. Add vegetables. Cook & stir about 7 minutes. Add 4 to 5 cups chicken broth. Cover with lid. Simmer over medium heat about 20 minutes.

2) Make the roux

In medium pan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter. Add 4 T of flour, and ½ t of salt. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of milk or cream (whatever type you choose). Cook and stir with a whisk until comes to boil & thickens. Remove from heat.

3) Blend the soup

Using a stick hand blender, gently mash up vegetables just until pureed. This can also be done with a traditional blender or food processor, but it’s more work. Be careful not to over-process. Add thickened milk mixture and 1 teaspoon curry.

Note: This soup is so easy and healthy and comforting. It has a beautiful rose color. I always serve it during the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, but there are other occasions for a gorgeous bowl of soup. How about Valentine’s Day? It doesn’t need it, but the soup can be garnished with more parsley or a swirl of cream.

    

RA Easy Hummus

by Kelly

The beans: Canned garbanzo beans work fine. Just open & rinse 2 cans of beans. Drain. (Sometimes, I start with dried beans. It does taste fresh & saves money. After soaking, the dried beans cook in water with a little salt for about an hour with a lid on. Then follow the same directions.)

The Process: Pulse 3 cloves of garlic in food processor. Add beans, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Pulse several times until it becomes a smooth paste. Add more of any ingredient to taste.

To Serve: Spread hummus over plate or shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with olives. I like Kalamata (Greek olives) the best with hummus. Dip with warm flatbread. (Pita is a good substitute.)

 

The Easiest Chicken Recipe Ever

By Erica

16oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 1/4 oz dry ranch dressing mix (one packet)
15 1/2 oz salsa (whatever you like, I usually go with medium)
2 cups Long Grain White Rice, prepared

Spray the Crockpot with cooking spray. Add the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with ranch seasoning. Top with salsa. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. If you’re afraid of the whole thing drying out, go ahead and pop in a little water. I usually do about half a cup. The house will smell wonderful when you get home.

When almost ready to serve, cook rice and add it to the Crockpot. Let simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

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