JOYFUL COOKING IDEAS

For those who enjoy it, cooking can be one of the most rewarding and creative activities to engage in.  It is very satisfying to  come up with interesting and tasty recipes that will also meet the requirements for good nutrition.  For busy cooks, there are many cookbooks with simple and easy meals that can be prepared quickly without sacrificing taste.  For special occasions, cooking a beautiful gourmet meal becomes a labor of love for family and friends.

In the interest of staying as close as possible to natural, healthy ingredients, here are some recipes that you might like to try.  Right now, I am especially working with ways to create delicious healthy soups and desserts, although I am also including some of my favorite veggie based entrees.  I like to start with a selected recipe and then modify it to make it a little healthier and to suit my own tastes.

Soups and Appetizers:
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan
Vegetable Stew with Chipotle Chili
Enchilada Tortilla Soup
Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup with Ginger
Seafood Gumbo
Lentil Soup
Super Seafood Chowder
Potato Soup

Entrees:
Taco Casserole
Garden Veggie Spaghetti Sauce
Vegetable Chili
Mixed Bean Chowder
Pasta Tossed with Zucchini and Tomatoes
Black Bean Quesadillas
"Dirty Rice" with Black Eyed Peas
Vegetarian Cheesy Rice Casserole
Pasta with Mushrooms, Arugula and Basil

Desserts:
French Apple Tart
Quick and Easy Date Bars
Chewy Oatmeal Squares
Pumpkin Gingerbread Squares
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Blueberry Pie
Sweet Potato Cake
Fresh Apple Cake
Indian Pudding
Almond Pear Tart
Pineapple Banana Cinnamon Cake
Mocha Pudding Pie
Butternut Squash Cake
Raspberry Pear Crisp
Carrot Pecan Pie
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Raspberry Lemon Muffins

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For healthy cooking it is good to include a wide variety of foods in the diet, and to minimize saturated unhealthy fats and fried foods, as well as highly processed foods.  Many people are working their way toward more of a plant based diet and relying less on animal products, as studies are showing that this is both more efficient to produce and more environmentally sound, especially if the natural and organic farming methods are practiced.

Super Antioxidant Foods That Help Reduce Inflammation:
  Small red beans
  Blueberries
  Red kidney beans
  Cranberries
  Artichokes
  Blackberries
  Prunes
  Raspberries
  Strawberries
  Red delicious/granny smith/gala apples
  Pecans
  Sweet cherries
  Russet potatoes
  Black beans
  Plums
  Walnuts

(From "Diet for a Pain-Free Life" by Harris H. McIlwain, MD )

Recommended Resources:
www.CookingLight.com
www.EatingWell.com
www.culinary.net