Spanokopitta (Greek)

Photo credit: http://www.maplespice.com/2011/04/spanakopita.html

SERVES: 6-8

PREP TIME: ~1.25 hours (including toasting pine nuts)

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. organic leeks, washed and sliced thin
6 T. organic olive oil
2 lbs. fresh organic spinach, washed and trimmed/1 lb. frozen organic spinach
1/2 lb. organic feta cheese
3 large organic, free-range eggs, beaten
2/3 c. organic, free-range dairy/almond/soy milk
1 T. freshly chopped organic dill or fennel
1/2 t. organic nutmeg
Sea/Himalayan salt and organic black pepper, to taste
8 organic scallions, sliced
3/4 c. organic pine nuts, toasted
1/2 lb. filo pastry

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large frying pan, sauté leeks in 2 T. olive oil until they soften.  
2. In a large saucepan, wilt the spinach over high heat, drain it thoroughly in a colander and squeeze out excess water.
3. In a large bowl, mash feta with a fork and add beat eggs, milk, dill/fennel and nutmeg, and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Add the prepared spinach, leeks, scallions and pine nuts and fold into the mixture.
5. Grease a 9" square baking dish and line it with half of the pasty sheets.  To do this, lay them down one at a time, brushing each one with olive oil. 
6. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry base.
7. To finish, layer the remaining pastry sheets on top, again brushing each liberally with olive oil, especially the last sheet.
8. Bake at 375* F for 40-45 minutes, until the top of the pie is golden and crisp.  Allow it to cool a little before cutting it into squares.

Artichoke pie (Italian)

Photo credit: http://www.closetcooking.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

I just had this at my friends' house for Easter and it was amazing!  This recipe comes from one of her cookbooks (don't know the name of it, sorry).  Hers looked better than the photo (sorry, photo).

SERVES: 6-8

PREP TIME: ~1.25 hours (including toasting hazelnuts)

INGREDIENTS
2 T. (1/4 stick) organic butter
1/2-3/4 c. organic olive oil
2, 14 oz. cans/jars organic artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
4 1/2 c. organic mushrooms, sliced
2 T. freshly chopped organic parsley
1 clove organic garlic, crushed
1 c. organic ricotta cheese
3 large organic, free-range eggs
4 T. organic Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t. organic ground nutmeg
Sea/Himalayan salt and organic black pepper, to taste
1/2 lb. filo pastry
1/2 c. organic hazelnuts, toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large frying pan, heat butter with 2 T. of oil and cook artichokes, mushrooms, parsley (save a little parsley for the last step) and garlic gently for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Set aside.
2. Mix ricotta with eggs and Parmesan in a large bowl.  Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
3. Grease a 9" square baking pan and line it with half of the filo pastry sheets.  To do this, lay them down one at a time, brushing each one with olive oil.
4. Spread artichoke and mushroom mixture over the pastry, followed by the ricotta mixture.  Scatter the toasted hazelnuts on top (and leave a few to sprinkle over the very top after the next step).
5. To finish, layer the remaining pastry sheets on top, again brushing each one liberally with olive oil, especially the last sheet.  Sprinkle some reaming parsley and toasted hazelnuts on top (just decorative).
6. Bake at 350* F for 40-45 minutes, until the top has puffed up and turned golden.  Cut into squares and serve.

Carrot ginger soup (Vitamix)

Image credit: http://www.greatperformances.com/recipe/carrot-ginger-soup

Easy | Majority whole food ingredients | Vitamix
Adapted from the Vitamix Whole Foods cookbook (pg. 62)

SERVES: 2-3

INGREDIENTS
Organic olive oil (enough to sauté ingredients in pan)
4 medium organic carrots, havled
1/4 small organic onion, peeled
4 cloves organic garlic, peeled
1/2 t. Himalayan salt
Pinch of white or black pepper
1 T. fresh organic ginger
Enough bouillon for 2 c. water
2 c. filtered water

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop ingredients: Place carrots, onion and garlic into Vitamix, secure lid, start with machine on low and quickly increase speed to level 4-5, blending for 10 seconds or until chopped.
2. Cook ingredients: Heat oil in a small/medium pan and sauté chopped ingredients until onion is clear and carrots are tender.  Add a little water, if needed, to simmer vegetables.
3. When the ingredients are almost done cooking, boil 2 c. water in a teapot (can skip this and heat water in the Vitamix, but pre-heating reduces the time you have to blend)
4. Make into soup: Place remaining ingredients (salt-water) into Vitamix, add sautéed ingredients, secure lid, start on low, increase speed to 10, then high.  If water is pre-heated in a teapot, just blend until well mixed.  If not pre-heated, vent lid after about a minute of blending, then blend for 3-4 minutes, or until steam starts to come out of the vented lid.

Spicy squash and spinach over jasmine rice

SERVES: 4-5

INGREDIENTS
2 T. organic coconut oil
2 T. organic EVOO
1 t. organic yellow mustard seeds
1" piece of organic ginger, diced
4 cloves organic garlic, diced
1 t. salt
6 small organic green chili peppers, diced
2 t. organic curry powder
1 t. organic turmeric
1 organic yellow onion, diced
1 medium organic butternut squash, diced into 1/2" pieces
4 organic Roma tomatoes, diced
2 c. filtered water
1 large bunch of organic spinach
Organic jasmine rice (whatever amount you want for the number of people you're serving)
1/2 organic lime

DIRECTIONS

1. Start preparing rice (if it's not "easy" rice)
2. Heat oils over medium heat in a wok or other large pan
3. Saute mustard seeds in oil until they're popping
4. Stir in ginger-turmeric and saute at medium heat for 2-3 minutes
5. Add in onions and saute on medium-low heat until transparent
6. Add in squash-water and bring to boil, then simmer until squash is tender (20-25 min.)
7. Stir in spinach and wait until it wilts
8. Place over rice, squirt juice from lime over the top and serve 
9. Kiss Meg
10. Be kissed back

Bruschetta pizza with spinach and nutritional yeast

INGREDIENTS
Pre-made thin organic pizza crust or make your favorite pizza crust recipe
1 T. organic olive oil
1 jar pre-made organic bruschetta or use your favorite recipe
1/2 organic green pepper, chopped
1 handful organic baby spinach
2-3 T. nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread olive oil along crust with fingers
2. Spread bruschetta on pizza, leaving a space for crust
3. Top with chopped green pepper, baby spinach leaves and nutritional yeast
4. Cook as directed for pre-made crust or as your recipe calls for