Balsamic Vinaigrette (my "go to" dressing)

taken from Dr Fuhrman recipes:

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup roasted garlic rice vinegar (or red wine vinegar, or garlic red wine vinegar)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup raisins

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions:
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or high powered blender. 

If you don't have a high powered blender (or just want to make it quick by shaking it), you might have to leave out the raisins and pressed garlic...but it will still be great!...maybe just add some raisins right on your salad.

Healthy Lentil Butternut Soup

 Red Lentil Butternut Soup

 

This recipe is straight from Dr Fuhrman's  "How to Live, For Life" recipes

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

 

Ingredients:

4 cups no-salt-added or low sodium vegetable stock

12 ounces butternut squash, chopped

10 ounces frozen, chopped spinach

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, no salt added (or 4 fresh tomatoes, diced)

3/4 cup dried red lentils

2 teaspoons grated ginger, or more OR less to taste

1 tablespoon minced dry onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt free Spike, or other no salt seasoning blend, adjusted to taste

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans or 1 (15 ounce) can, no-salt-added or low sodium white beans, drained

Instructions:
Put all ingredients except white beans in a slow cooker or in a pot on stove top. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 1 hour on the stove or 8 hours in slow cooker on low.

Add white beans and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Note: If you would like this more soupy, decrease the red lentils to 1/2 cup.

Note: Resist the immediate temptation to add salt after the 1st bite!!  Take at least 4 bites before deciding to do so.  Our taste buds are jaded with all of the sugar and salt that we consume.  Give your taste buds the opportunity to enjoy tastes OTHER than salt for a chance!  IF you must, add salt only just before eating.  If we add salt when cooking, we don't taste it as much as if we salt right before eating...increasing our chances of still adding MORE salt before we eat it!