Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

1 or 2 bunches of Asparagus, cleaned, trim bottom ½-1 inch off stalk and cut to desired length or leave whole

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Sea Salt, to taste

Black Pepper, to taste

1-2 TBLspoons Balsamic Vinegar

1-2 TBLspoons SoySauce (I use gluten-free variety)

1-2 teaspoons high quality Oil—Grape Seed, Flax, Olive, Roasted Sesame, etc

Directions

Coat Baking sheet with light coat of Cooking Oil Spray. Place Asparagus on baking sheet, add Salt and Pepper, toss to mix thoroughly. Place in 400 degree F oven for 12 minutes or until tender. Place roasted asparagus in Serving Dish. Warm the Balsamic Vinegar, Soy Sauce and Oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over Asparagus. Serve hot.

Abstinent Measuring

1 cup = 1 vegetable

Notes

If making 1 bunch of Asparagus, use 1 TBLspoon each of the Vinegar and Soy Sauce and 1 teaspoon Oil. If making 2 bunches, use 2 of everything.

Take it to a Party: take it out of the oven at 8-10 minutes, so that it is a little under cooked. Put in Serving Dish, warm sauce, pour over Asparagus. Cover well with heavy towel and transport. It will continue cooking a little and be excellent for your party.

Beef Brisket (Jewish Style)

Ingredients

4.4 to 5 pounds Boneless Beef Brisket (flat cut preferable, but I use any cut)

1 clove Garlic, peeled, cut lengthwise in half

2 TBLspoon Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

3 diced medium Onions

1 - 14.5 oz can diced Tomatoes, not drained

2 ribs Celery with leaves, chopped

1 TBLspoon fresh Rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon fresh Thyme leaves

1 Bbay leaf

6-8 medium Carrots

1/4 c. chopped fresh Parsley

Optional

Sugar free BBQ sauce

Use on the Leftovers, for a different flavor

1 can tomato paste

some liquid smoke, vinegar and sweetener to taste

Directions

Preheat over to 325F. Rub garlic over brisket.

Heat oil in roast pan, place brisket in and brown evenly. Pour off drippings, salt and pepper.

Add reserved garlic, onions, under brisket. Stir in wine or vinegar, tomatoes, celery, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf.

Cover, place in oven and cook 3 hours, basting if you like.

Add carrots and parsley and continue cooking uncovered for 30 minutes, until carrots tender.

Remove brisket, refrigerate overnight. When pan cools remove oil, bay leaf and place in blender with all vegetables for great thick gravy. Or remove vegetables skim fat and serve with brisket. Brisket will carve easily next day and all fat can be removed.

Abstinent Measuring

4 oz = 1 protein

Recipe adapted from Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan

Green Beans with Roasted Red Peppers

This is a variation of my Mom’s Basic Green Beans. Green Beans where her favorite vegetable — good thing they are cheap and readily available-fresh, frozen and canned…even in the 1900’s Depression Era.

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh or frozen Green Beans, cleaned, chopped into 3-2 inch pieces or less.

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

1 Tblspoon Olive Oil or Bacon Grease

1-12 oz Jar Roasted Red Peppers (packed in water), drained chopped

Sea Salt to taste

Optional

2 pieces of Fried, extra crispy Bacon, chopped into small bits

Directions

Place Oil of you choosing in a large frying pan. Add Onion and sauté in covered pan until Onion turns translucent. Add Green Beans and Bacon bits(if used), stir well, cover and stir occasionally until Green Beans are cooked to your liking (some people like them a little crisp, some like them cooked to within an inch of their life, lol!). Add the Roasted Red Peppers and Sea Salt. Serve Hot.

Abstinent Measuring

1 cup = 1 vegetable

If you get nuts with the bacon bits, you may need to count them as part of your protein. I just added enough to flavor the dish, so generally don’t.

Notes

If the Beans are kind of dry and start to fry instead of “steam”, add a little water to the bottom of the pan.