Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi)

1 large head of cabbage
1 lb. of extra lean ground beef
3 cups of cooked rice
(I use long grain brown rice - traditionally, white rice is used)
3 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups tomato juice
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. sugar (I use turbinado sugar, however granulated sugar is fine as well)
Kosher Salt & Pepper

• Trim the stem of the cabbage head and place into large pot filled with water.  You want to make sure the water covers the cabbage.  Heat to boil and cook until cabbage is softened and leaves are pulling off (about 15-20 minutes once the water starts to boil).

• Drain the cabbage in a colander and let cool.  Gently pull the leaves off. 



• In a pan on medium heat, add olive oil and onion.  Heat through until onions start becoming translucent.  Turn heat to low.   Add garlic, paprika, sugar.  Sprinkle a tsp. of salt and pepper.  Cook on low for about 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown.

• In a large bowl, mix together cooked rice and sautéed onions.

• In a pan on medium heat, cook meat thoroughly and drain well.  Add meat to rice/onion mixture and mix well. This is your filling.

• This is your filling and cabbage leaves for wrapping.



• Gently take one cabbage leaf, place filling in the center. 

• Fold center over filling, fold over sides and roll center over. 



• In a 13x9x2 pan, pour 1 cup of tomato juice onto the bottom of the pan.  Continue with the cabbage rolls until all the filling is gone.  Make sure to place each one snuggly next to each other in pan, seam side down.

• Place extra leftover leaves loosely on top of rolls.  Pour the lemon juice into the remainder cup of tomato juice, mix and pour over cabbage rolls.

Cover pan tightly and bake in preheated 375 degree F. oven for about an hour. 

Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes.  Enjoy!  Serve warm with sour cream on the side....delicious!!



Peanut Butter Cookies

The same old fashioned peanut butter taste you love in this classic cookie but with a healthy twist....only about 45 calories each!!

 

16 oz. peanut butter
1 egg
4 tbsps. turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
2 tbsps. old fashioned whole oats, ground to fine texture
(You can use gluten free oats if you are gluten sensitive)
1 tsp. flaxseed, ground to fine texture *optional

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• In a large bowl combine, peanut butter, egg, 3 tbsps. sugar, ground oats and flaxseed.  Mix thoroughly with spoon.

 

• Drop by tablespoonful onto cookie sheet. 
• Press cookie in a criss cross pattern with fork. 
• With the remaining 1 tbsp. of sugar, sprinkle lightly on the tops of each pressed cookie. 
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 13-15  minutes. 

When the cookies are finished baking, take out of the oven and let them sit until cooled on baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before you transfer them. The cookies will be very crumbly until they are completely cooled. 

• Carefully transfer them with a spatula onto a cooling rack. 
• At this point, I put them into the freezer to chill and set.  You can put them in the fridge as well, up to you. 

This recipe yields 24 cookies. 
About 45 calories per cookie.

 

Nutritional/Caloric information above is not exact.  It is estimated from ingredient information that is posted on product labels that are used. 

Pumpkin Banana Cheesecake w/ Almond, Date & Oat Crust

This cheesecake is absolutely delicious and absolutely good for you.  It tastes like a full fat/full calorie cheesecake, but it's not. Make this for Thanksgiving this year and enjoy a slice....or two! About 135 calories per slice!!

3 1/2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin puree (make sure it's 100% pumpkin with no added ingredients)

1 banana

1/4 cup plain cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 tbsps. turbinado sugar

1/4 cup old fashioned whole oats

4 dried dates

1/4 cup almonds

coconut oil

* optional * 1 tbsp. flax seeds

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, banana and softened cream cheese. 

 

• Mix with blender thoroughly until combined and smooth. 
• Add sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour. Mix well.

• * optional * 1 tbsp. flax seeds (At this point, I like to throw in the flax seeds for added nutrition....completely up to you)

• In a food processor, combine dates, almonds and oats.

• Grind/Pulse thoroughly.  You want a medium to fine texture.

•  Grease a 9 inch pie dish with coconut oil.  Press the crust mixture into dish.

• Pour filling over crust.

• Smooth mixture evenly into dish and bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

• Cover with tin foil and bake for another 7-10 minutes.  Let cool at room temperature.  Once cooled, transfer pie to refrigerator and chill for about 2 hours.  Serve cold.

I bet you can't eat just one slice!.......Enjoy!  Add a scoop of fresh whipped cream for added Yum!

This recipe yields about 8 equal slices/servings.
About 135 calories per slice.

Nutritional/Caloric information above is not exact.  It is estimated from ingredient information that is posted on product lablels that are used. 

Banana Apple Pumpkin Muffins with Flax & Toasted Almonds

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole old fashioned oats, finely ground
1 banana, ripe
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced into chunks
3 cups fresh pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsps. flax seeds
2 tbsps. packed light brown sugar
almonds, chopped
ground cinnamon
coconut oil

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, oats baking powder baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

• In a food processor, combine pumpkin puree, apple chunks and the ripe banana.  Blend well to a smooth mixture.

• Spoon mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Add the flax seeds, vanilla extract, brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Mix until combined.

• Grease a muffin pan with coconut oil and spoon in muffin mixture about 2/3 full.
• Sprinkle each muffin with chopped almonds and bake for about 25 minutes. 
• Once baked, let cool in pan for a minute and transfer onto cooling rack until completely cooled.

This recipe yields 18 muffins. 
About 80 calories per muffin.

 

Nutritional/Caloric information above is not exact.  It is estimated from ingredient information that is posted on product lablels that are used. 

Garlic Chicken Vegetable Kamut Grain Soup

 

Easiest soup you will ever make!  Delicious and super good for you! 

 

 

10 cups of water
1/2 cup of Kamut grain, dry (if you do not have Kamut grain on hand, you can substitute equal portions of brown rice)
4 oz. chicken breast
1 tsp. fresh ginger
9 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and left whole
5 carrots, peel on and chopped
3 cups frozen spinach
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. black pepper
7 bouillon cubes, chicken or beef

In a large pot, combine all ingredients and cook on high heat to boil.  Once boiling, cover and lower heat to low and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

This recipe yields about 12 cups.
About 59 calories per cup.

 

Nutritional/Caloric information above is not exact.  It is estimated from ingredient information that is posted on product lablels that are used.