Canistel & Chia Seed Drink

1 canistel (seeded, just scoop the filling out into the blender)
a sprinkle of nutmeg
a sprinkle of cinnamon
about 2-3 spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt
a squirt of agave nectar
about a cup of vanilla or plain almond milk
about a small handful of chia seeds

Blend
Serve

Corn Soup

Ingredients:
3 cans of corn, drained- but not all together
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, chopped/diced
3 lbs of chicken broth
1-2 bay leaf (depending on it's size)
smoked paprika (about a teaspoon or so- eyeball)
cumin (teaspoon- eyeball)
celery seed (teaspoon- eyeball)
dried or fresh tarragon (about a palm full- used twice for puree and garnish)
EVOO
S&P
about two slices of butter

Method:
In a pot on medium-high heat, put some EVOO and 1 slice of butter before adding the onion (3 minutes), carrots (3 minutes), potato (5 minutes), bay leaf, 2 cans of corn (drained), the spices and herbs with chicken broth, adding salt and pepper along the way. Cover and let it boil/simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the potatoes and carrots to soften.

In batches and using big bowl, puree the soup in the blender. Once the pot is empty and back on the stove, heat up with the other slice of butter and the other drained can of corn and let it saute for about 2-3 minutes before adding in the puree soup and the remaining dried tarragon. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, season to taste.

Serve.

Note:
If you want it to be vegetarian, replace the chicken broth with the vegetable broth

Turkey & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
-For the quinoa, follow the instructions it comes with (I used chicken broth for more flavor)
-1 lb of ground turkey
-1 zucchini, peeled and grated
-2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
-poultry seasoning
-cumin
-smoked paprika
-4 green peppers, top cut off with the insides of seeds and ribs scrapped out
-salt and pepper
-EVOO
-a small handful of cilantro, chopped

Method:
Preheat oven 400 degrees

While the quinoa is cooking, heat up a saute pan with EVOO on medium-high heat. Add grated zucchini to cook about 3 minutes before adding the garlic, season with salt and pepper. After about 5 minutes, pushed the zucchini-garlic mixture aside to add the ground turkey and start stirring it together. Season with salt and pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, poultry seasonings. After about 10 minutes, add in the chopped cilantro and let cook until the quinoa is finished (it usually take 10-15 minutes to cooked) with the heat reduced down to low.

While the turkey mixture and quinoa are cooking, in a greased up 9x13 baking pan, set the 4 green peppers and season them with salt, pepper and drizzle of EVOO. Add the cooked quinoa to the turkey mixture and mix together. Using a big spoon or a cup, scoop the mixture into the green pepper until to the top.

Put the stuffed green peppers in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving

Grilled Lamb Chops

I made a marinade of fresh rosemary, dried mint (didn't have any fresh but I do think dried is good enough), garlic, EVOO, cumin, S&P and let the lamb chops marinade until it's time to grill. Serve with mint jelly

I served 90-second brown rice and canned green beans alongside.

Avocado & Banana Smoothie

I've been thinking of this kind of smoothie for quite some time now and while at the store, I decided to go for it. Unfortunately my blender broke some time ago so I used my Cuisinart instead

2 bananas chopped
1 avocado chopped
about 2 tablespoons of honey (eyeball)
about 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
about 2 pinches of nutmeg
a pinch of salt
about a cup of plain yogurt (eyeball)

blend it all together, put in glass and enjoy

Corn & Peas Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
2 cans of corn, drained
1 small container of mascarpone cheese
1 small pint of ricotta cheese
1 cup or so of Parmesan cheese
1 box of Elbows macaroni
1 cup of frozen sweet peas, thawed
1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
a little bit of milk (eyeball)

Method:
Boil water, add in some salt and elbow pasta (as followed on the box instructions)

In the Cuisinart- put in corn to give it a couple of pulses like a chunky puree before adding in the mascarpone and ricotta (both cheese room tempature).
In a small saucepan- melt butter before adding some milk (eyeball it, I poured enough to cover the base of the saucepan) to simmer with steam but not boil. Add the parmesan cheese, stirring until melted. Add the corn and cheese mixture to heat through. Let it slightly boil before adding in the thawed-sweet peas and tarragon, fold them in and let them heat through for a few minutes.

Drain the pasta (save some pasta water for the cheese sauce in case too thick) and back in the pot before pouring in the corn, pea and cheese mixture to mix together before serving.

Yellow Pepper-Peas Stuffed Mushrooms

I honestly eyeballed everything, I didn't measure other than sizing up the mushrooms and guessed the measurements. It was also a throw-together using whatever I found in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer. 

button mushrooms with stems removed (save them!), seasoned with EVOO and S&P. Saute filling of yellow pepper, mushroom stems, peas & garlic putting them in food processor. Join in bowl with croutons crushed as bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake in 400° oven for about 20 minutes till golden brown on top.