whole wheat garlic oregano ricotta gnocchi

Prep time: 30-40 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
½ cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup white flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh basil

Combine flour, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and Parmesan cheese and mix together. Fold in ricotta and egg. Mix well with your fingers.

Grab a handful of dough. Roll it out like a snake onto a floured surface. Cut 1-inch pieces with a knife and place them in a separate area on floured wax paper. Once you have cut all the dough, take the back side of a fork and roll it over both sides of the gnocchi. Be sure to pinch in the sides a bit after each time you roll with the fork so that you don’t flatten the gnocchi. Boil in salted water 3-5 minutes until they float to the top.

Remove promptly. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil.

wild-caught lemon pepper salmon

Prep time: 20-30 mins. (depending on cut of fish)
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 lbs. wild-caught salmon (½ lb. per person ratio)
Olive oil
Whole lemon cut in half
2-3 sliced lemons
Ground black pepper corns
Coarse sea salt
Fresh parsley

Lightly drizzle olive oil in a glass baking dish. Rinse fish in cold water, then lay it skin-side down in the baking dish. Squeeze both lemon halves fully onto the fish, then spread the lemon slices over the top. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with ground black pepper corns and coarse sea salt. Bake in pre-heated 400° oven for 10 minutes. After this, lift one of the lemons and, with a fork, see if the fish flakes. If fish does not flake, bake for another 5-10 minutes, checking periodically. For those who like a crispy finish, broil on low for 5 minutes after the fish flakes. Immediately remove from the oven (you don't want it to overcook), plate it on a serving platter, and garnish with fresh parsley. 

avocado summer fruit salad

Prep time: 15 mins.
Servings: Approximately 4 (depending on size of fruit)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
6 large strawberries, quartered or halved
3 peaches, sliced
2 small bananas, sliced
2 small avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
Juice of 3 squeezed limes
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Tiny pinch of salt

In a large bowl, whisk limejuice with honey and salt, and set aside. Combine strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas and avocado. Gently toss. Coat with limejuice mixture. Serve immediately.

no bake chocolate cookies

Prep time: 15 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
½ butter
½ cup almond butter
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla
Toss in 1/2 cup chocolate chips or ½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional)

Bring cocoa, sugar, milk and butter to a boil.
Cook for 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Add remaining ingredients.
Mix well and drop by teaspoon onto wax paper.
Let cool.
Cool and store in refrigerator

gazpacho

Prep time: about 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
3-4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
2 green bell peppers
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons squeezed lemon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic and peppers in a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth. All the ingredients may not fit at one time, so you may have to fill the blender/food processor several times.

Once it is completely blended, pour it into a large non-metallic bowl. Add the oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Garnish with the chopped vegetables and croutons, if desired. Serve gazpacho chilled.