Chili Stuffed Acorn Squash

 Ingredients

• 3 acorn squash, (3/4-1 pound each)
• 5 ounces bulk turkey sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper,chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash of crushed red chili pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil; heat over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and chili peppers, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Wheat Berry Pilaf

INGREDIENTS:

• Wheat Berries
• Low Sodium Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock
• Navy Beans
• Celery
• Bell Peppers
• Carrots
• Salt & Pepper
• Balsamic Vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
Soak Navy Beans over night or for 8 hours.  Cook Navy Beans in crockpot on low for 6 hours or until tender.  Cook wheat berries according to packaging with the low sodium chicken stock instead of water.  If you don't already have "good" balsamic vinegar, buy a medium grade balsamic vinegar (ie, Progresso Balsamic Vinegar).  Boil down the medium grade balsamic vinegar until it coats a metal spoon.  Dice up the vegetables.  Mix the wheat berries, beans, and diced veggies into a bowl.  Salt and pepper the pilaf.  Serve with balsamic vinegar on top

TIPS:
I choose bagged beans to control the salt content.  Make in bulk and freeze in separate tupperware for lunches.

Experiment:
*  Feel free to add an any other diced vegetables that you don't mind eating raw.
*  Try different types of beans.
*  Add low sodium fajita seasoning to lean ground turkey if you would like meat.

Live Choco Fruit Tart

Instead of having a cake for my birthday, I treated myself to a raw food fruit tart.  Enjoy!

Almond Crust

2 1/4 cups ground almonds

1/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cups pitted medjool dates


1. Food process the almonds and medjool dates until they become coarse crumbs.
2. Press "dough" into tart pan- it should be thick enough to at least sort of hold together
3. Refrigerate at least thirty minutes or until you are ready to fill and serve

Chovocado Pudding

1 ripe avocado
1 ripe banana (optional)
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup raw agave nectar

1/4 cup hazelnut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Peel and quarter a ripe avocado.
2. Put all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
4. Put pudding in crust
5. Arrange fresh fruit on the tart