1 cup water

½ cup fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon each of dried oregano, basil, and thyme

½ teaspoon sea salt (optional)

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ cup olive oil

With a paring knife, score the base of each Brussels sprout with an “X” before steaming.

This facilitates cooking and allows the marinade to penetrate the cooked sprouts. Steam until crisp-tender. Run sprouts quickly under cool water to halt the cooking process, drain, and set aside in a bowl.

Bring remaining ingredients (except olive oil) to a boil in a small saucepan and remove from heat. When mixture cools slightly, add olive oil. Pour marinade over sprouts and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to take off the chill. Arrange on a platter and serve with toothpicks.

From Dr. Jo’s Natural Healing Cookbook

Celery, diced

Marinated cauliflower, separate to small flowerets size

Black olives

Sunflower seeds

For each individual salad tear lettuce pieces into individual serving bowls. Add the rest if the ingredients. Toss with the leftover marinade from Whole Cauliflower Salad.

Head of Cauliflower Salad or Appetizer

1 medium cauliflower

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon sea salt

a pinch of white pepper

radishes and fresh parsley sprigs to garnish

Remove leaves and rinse cauliflower well in cool water. With a paring knife, cutout the core. Place the head of cauliflower in a steamer basket, cover, and steam-cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Place under cold running water to stop the cooking process, drain, and set aside to cool.

In a deep bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings. Place cooled cauliflower in the bowl with the dressing and turn it several times until it is well saturated with the mixture. Cover the bowl and let it sit for several hours at room temperature (or overnight in the refrigerator). Turn several times. Serve the head of cauliflower at room temperature drizzled with remaining dressing and garnished with radishes and sprigs of parsley.

From Dr. Jo’s Natural Healing Cookbook

1 cup snap peas cut into fourths

2 cups torn spinach

1 cup almonds

Mix all together and add dressing of your choice. I like the Cardini’s Italian dressing on it.

Serves 4.

Dr. Jo

Ingredients:

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

6 slices brown rice bread (I like Food for Life Rice Pecan Bread)

Leftover meat marinade

1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

Put slices of rice bread out on a dish to thaw and dry slightly for 6-8 hours. (Or place in a toaster to thaw and dry just slightly, but you have to let them cool before processing to crumbs.) When ready to make your dish, turn on food processor and drop portions of the bread in until all are crumbled. Add the poultry seasoning and salt and buzz food processor a couple of times to mix ingredients.

Meat Marinade

Mix:     ¼ cup oil

¼ cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

¼ teaspoon granulated dry garlic

1 tablespoon dry onion flakes

I like to soak chicken in this marinade, then save what’s left and keep it in the freezer. Then I use this leftover marinade to marinate the chicken thighs for this recipe all day. Somehow the Liquid Amino flavor is too strong if I marinate this chicken in a fresh batch.

Poultry Seasoning:

Mix together:

2 ½ tablespoons dry sage

2 ½ Tablespoons thyme

2 Tablespoons marjoram

Keep in a spice jar, ready to use.

OK, so this recipe looks complicated, but it’s really easy, goes together fast. The marinade is leftover, so you already made it another day. The poultry seasoning mix lasts a long time, so you only have to make it once. Or maybe you have an already prepared poultry spice mix that you love. Use it.

Putting it together:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

1 ovenproof baking dish, about 8-9 inches square (just big enough to snug all of the chicken together in the dish).

Pick one chicken thigh out of the marinade with side that was next to the bone up. Grab a handful of the rice breadcrumb mixture and gently squeeze them together with your fist. Place these compressed crumbs in the middle of the chicken thigh. Wrap sides of thigh together and place it in your ovenproof dish with crumb side down. Continue until you have used all of the thighs. Sprinkle rest of crumbs over top and sides of chicken. Place in oven uncovered. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

Alternative stuffing:

8 slices raisin-cinnamon rice bread

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Buzz bread into crumbs in food processor with the added cinnamon

Then add 1/3 cup of chopped pecans to stuffing mix

Stuff and cook chicken thighs as above

Ingredients

Wild Rice

2 cups water

1/2 cup wild rice (see Note), rinsed

1/8 teaspoon salt

Frittata

5 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried

1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, white button, shiitake), sliced

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces), chopped

Preparation

1. To prepare wild rice: Combine water, rice and salt in a small heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the rice is tender with a slight bite, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain; you’ll have about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice.
2. To prepare frittata: About 30 minutes after you start cooking the rice, beat eggs and egg whites in a large bowl with parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg.
3. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
4. Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat. Add onion and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in rosemary, then add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until they release their liquid and the pan is dry, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in the rice.
5. Pour the reserved egg mixture evenly over the rice and vegetables. Partially cover and cook until set around the edges, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and prosciutto. Place the pan under broiler and broil until the eggs are set and the top is nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the rice (Step 1), cool and store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

 Note from Dr. Jo: If you are still eating only from the Class A food list, substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms.

This recipe from Shannon Leone’s Raw kitchen is fast and so delicious that it hits the spot every time! Avocados are non-sweet fruits, a source of healing vitamin E, and a source of healthy fat that keeps joints lubricated, provides insulation around nerve sheathes, and is great for the hair and skin.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: None

Yield: 2 servings

2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled

2 limes, squeezed

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

2 tablespoons raw, organic honey

Sprig of mint for garnish

2 strawberries, thinly sliced, for garnish

1. Blend the avocados, lime, vanilla, and honey in a food processor until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve in a dessert cup with a sprig of mint and very thinly sliced strawberries.

Tip: To save yourself time, you can purchase organic lemon juice in bottles to keep on hand for when you don’t have lemons to squeeze.

Vary It! You can substitute 1 lemon for the 2 limes if that’s all you have on hand. And add more lime or lemon juice for a stronger citrus taste. You also can use agave nectar instead of honey.

Per serving: Calories 407; Fat 29.3 g (Saturated 4.5 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 18 mg; Carbohydrate 39.5 g (Fiber 23.6 g); Protein 4.3 g; Sugar 19.6 g.

Carolyn Dean MD ND

The Doctor of the Future

The name says it all! This recipe is probably already out there, but I haven’t found the original chef. It popped into my head when all I had on hand for company was frozen bananas, 100-percent raw chocolate powder (cacao), and coconut milk. And voilà: A dreamy dessert with healthy ingredients was born . . . and quickly eaten.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: None

Yield: 2 servings

4 small frozen bananas, cut into rounds

4 ounces full-fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons cacao powder

Strawberries or blueberries, for garnish

1. Pulse the bananas, coconut milk, and cacao powder in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve with sliced strawberries and/or blueberries.

Tip: Cacao powder is all the rage on the Raw culinary scene, so it’s easy to obtain at health food stores or online at stores like www.vitacost.com.

Per serving: Calories 152; Fat 6.7 g (Saturated 5.7 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 5 mg; Carbohydrate 25.4 g (Fiber 3.5 g); Protein 2.2 g; Sugar 12.4 g.

The name says it all! This recipe is probably already out there, but I haven’t found the original chef. It popped into my head when all I had on hand for company was frozen bananas, 100-percent raw chocolate powder (cacao), and coconut milk. And voilà: A dreamy dessert with healthy ingredients was born . . . and quickly eaten.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: None

Yield: 2 servings

4 small frozen bananas, cut into rounds

4 ounces full-fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons cacao powder

Strawberries or blueberries, for garnish

1. Pulse the bananas, coconut milk, and cacao powder in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.

2. Serve with sliced strawberries and/or blueberries.

Tip: Cacao powder is all the rage on the Raw culinary scene, so it’s easy to obtain at health food stores or online at stores like www.vitacost.com.

Per serving: Calories 152; Fat 6.7 g (Saturated 5.7 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 5 mg; Carbohydrate 25.4 g (Fiber 3.5 g); Protein 2.2 g; Sugar 12.4 g.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds cooked shrimp

Preparation

1. Place garlic and oil in a small skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss with shrimp in a large bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

1 cup reserved cooking water

3 tablespoons oil (I like grape seed oil)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or to taste)

4 tablespoons chopped onion (or ¼ teaspoon onion powder)

1 large garlic clove, chopped (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano, or even better about 2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil, or even better about 2 teaspoons fresh chopped basil

½ teaspoon sea salt (optional)

To cook garbanzo beans, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil, then remove from stove. Add 1 ½ cups dry garbanzo beans to the water, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir and let the beans soak overnight (or about 12 hours. If they soak longer they may start to sprout and that makes them too firm.)

Drain soaking liquid from beans, rinse and drain. Add enough water in a pan to cover the beans, but first bring the water to a boil, then add the beans and simmer for about 1 hour or until nice and tender.

Blend all ingredients (except reserved water) in a food processor or blender, adding enough reserved cooking water from the beans (a few tablespoons at a time) to make a smooth paste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Place the garbanzo bean dip in a small pretty glass dish that will sit in the middle of a round crystal serving plate. Surround the dip with a variety of colorful vegetables – green, red, yellow, orange. This combo will make a beautiful center piece for your serving table.

Happy Holidays to you,

Dr. Jo

16 oz Coconut Cream Concentrate from Tropical Traditions (Need to set jar in pan of warm water to soften.)
1 cup coconut flakes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Celtic salt
½ cup carob powder
¾ teaspoon green stevia powder
1/8 teaspoon white stevia powder
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons grape seed oil
Chopped almonds or other nuts. I like walnuts best in it.
Mix all ingredients together.

Whir coconut flakes in food processor until they are finely chopped. Then add other dry ingredients and blend. Add rest of ingredients except nuts and blend. Stir in nuts last.

Drop on plate or parchment paper and chill. I store them in the freezer, leaving a few out at a time to thaw for munching.