Raw Banana Honey Oat Bars

Combine by mashing with a fork or in food processor:

1/2 ripe banana
1 C oatmeal (not instant)
1/2 C almond butter or peanut butter
1/8 C raw honey
1 TB bee pollen
1/2 tea vanilla extract
1/2 tea cinnamon

Roll into balls, and eat. Keep in freezer.

Pineppale Coconut Mojito

I had somehting like this at Mexico DF in San Francisco- amazing! Getting home, I found this website that had several good looking variations on the mojito.


Muddle:
3-4 mint leaves
lime chunks from 1/3 lime
1 TB pineapple chunks

Add:
2 oz coconut milk
3 oz light rum
agave
water to fill to 10 oz total
optional: ice
optional pineapple juice

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cut corn tortillas into strips. Spritz some olive oil and salt over the tortillas. Bake at 350 F for 10- 12 minutes. Set aside.

Saute 1 yellow onion, chopped, in butter/olive oil/bacon fat until edges start to brown. Add 2 minced cloves garlic and minced jalapeno pepper.

Add chopped bell pepper and cook slightly. Add 2 tea chili powder, 1 tea ground cumin, 1 tea taco seasoning and stir to combine.

Add liquids, stir and simmer for 10 minutes:
chicken broth
water
pureed tomatoes
chopped tomatoes
1/2 - 1 tea salt

Add rinsed cooked black beans, frozen corn, cooked shredded chicken and stir. Cook for 5 minutes to heat through.

Serve in bowls with tortilla strips, sprtiz with lime juice, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese or cotija cheese, cilantro, and avocado cubes or slices.

Chilaquiles

I had something like this at a cart at the farmer's market- it was so good I started craving it! I guess it is the mexican version of quiche (in that it has a "crust" and eggs with stuff) and built like fried rice (uses up leftover ingredients).

Saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil for a couple minutes. Now add eggs and fry or scramble with taco seasoning. When eggs are done, dish out and set aside to reserve.

Pour 1/4 C tomato salsa into a wide saute pan with about 1/4 C water and stir. Over medium heat, flip corn tortillas in the mixture to coat & soften.

Now layer egg mixture, shredded cheese, and vegetables over the top of each tortilla. Cover pan and continue cooking over medium heat until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately. Optionally- top with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and or avocado.

GomaDare (Japanese Sesame Dressing)

Got hooked on this stuff in Tokyo. Great "entry drug" to eating steamed broccoli or other veggies for breakfast. Gotta watch out though- the commercial brands all seem to include MSG... so make your own!

Blend in high speed blender (or pound for a while in a Japanese mortar and pestle called a suribachi):

3 ounces (85 grams) white sesame seeds
1/2 to 3/4 cup dashi (or 3/4 water + 1 TB light miso)
3 TB reduced sodium soy sauce
2 TB mirin
1 large medjool date
2 TB sake

If you're having trouble getting the sesame seeds to break down, you can use Japanese "sesame paste" instead (but it's usually pricy). Don't use tahini as it has a totally different flavor from the Japanese kind.

Serve over salads, or over steamed broccoli & asparagus for breakfast!