ASPARAGUS AND SPINACH CASSEROLE

·         2 cups fresh asparagus, tips and stalk chopped

·         1-2 cups chopped fresh spinach or frozen, but make sure it is well drained

·         2 Cups easy, home-made Cream of Mushroom soup(see below)

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         ½ cup 2 inch, sliced sweet onions

·         ½ cup bread crumbs

·         1 tablespoon garlic powder

·         ¼ cup parmesan cheese

·         2 tsp, salt, pepper

    Mix garlic, salt, and pepper into bread crumbs and toss. In a pan add olive oil and onions, sauté until tender on medium heat, and then toss in bread crumb mix, and sauté for another minute or so, to mix in all of the flavor.

Meanwhile, place the asparagus on the bottom of a casserole dish. Spread the cream soup on top of the asparagus. When bread and onion mix is done, cover the casserole with the crumb covered onions.

Bake in a 350°F degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

How to make the easy mushroom soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups yummy mushrooms, mix mini bella’s and some shitake will add a great earthy taste, chopped into tiny pieces
• 1/4 cup onion, any, I like purple, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1 to 3 cups chicken broth, or water, must add as you cooking to get desired thickness, don’t want it to be too watery!
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• Pepper, salt, garlic powder, to taste

A Better Apple Crisp Crumble

INGREDIENTS (are flexible in portions)
1/4 cup apple cider
4 large sweet and sour apples - leave skins on(where some of the nutrition is), slice thin
1-2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup granola on top. I like Nature's Path flax or hemp plus

DIRECTIONS

1.   In a large skillet or saucepan, add cider and apples over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until apples are almost tender, about 2-3 minutes.

2.   Next stir in cinnamon and applesauce and heat up for about a minute or so, stirring occasionally, letting the apple sauce thicken. Remove from heat and serve warm with granola on top.

You can serve this over meats like pork, or frozen yogurt, or regular yogurt. You can also bake this if you just put the apples and applesauce in a baking pan with the granola on top. If you want to make a pie add something like cornstarch or a substitute: for 1 tablespoon, use 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon potato flour or rice flour; 4 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca; or 2 teaspoons arrowroot. 

Chili Cheese Vegetable Fries

With fall closing in, I got a craving for some yummy chili cheese fries. Since I try to avoid deep-fried foods, (who doesn't love them) I came up with this idea instead. It is still yummmmmmm!

• 2 cups baked, crispy vegetable sticks, including deseeded zucchini, unpeeled sweet potato and plain potatoes, asparagus, carrots, turnips, broccoli ect.
• 1-2 cups home made chili
•  ¼ cup of grated parmesan and cheddar cheese
• Spices: 1 tsp of pepper, garlic, cumin

Directions:
1. First turn oven to 400 degrees. Cut and prepare vegetables for oven. Toss in olive oil and spices. Just sprinkle them on and stir until covered. If looking for lower salt diet, do not add salt until fries are finished baking. And then sprinkle a little on top at the end. Bake for about 30 minutes. Check every 10 minutes and toss. Try to get crispy. After 30 minutes if you want, just turn on the broiler and crisp up the veggies quickly.
2. While baking fries, make the chili, and prepare the cheese.