Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

8 Tablespoon Butter	6 Oz. Chocolate Chip
1 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs	14 Oz. Can Condensed Milk
1 Cups Coconut	1 Cups Nuts, Chopped
6 0z. Butterscotch Chips

1. Melt butter in 9" X 13" baking pan. Add remaining ingredients in order listed. Do not mix together. After adding nuts, press down thoroughly with spoon.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. While still warm, cut into 2" squares and cool before removing from pan.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14 Tangy blackberries have a great affinity for pecans and maple, but you could certainly make this crisp with blueberries or a combination of berries. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast!

5 Tablespoon Maple Syrup, Divided	-Divided
1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar	1/4 & 1/8 Teaspoon Salt, Divided
6 Cups Fresh Blackberries, 1 3/4	2/3 Cups Rolled Oats
-Lbs.	2/3 Cups Chopped Toasted Pecans
3 Tablespoon Sugar	1/3 Cups Brown Sugar
16 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour,	3 Tablespoon Canola Oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat deep baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together 2 T. Maple syrup and vinegar in bowl. Place blackberries in large bowl, and drizzle maple mixture over them. Add sugar, 3 T. flour, and 1/8 tsp. salt to berries; toss to combine.
3. Combine remaining 13 T. flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 Tsp. salt in separate bowl. Drizzle oil and remaining 3 T. maple syrup over dry ingredients. Use fingers to combine mixture until small clumps from arrange topping clumps over berries.
4. Bake 30-45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and berry juices are bubbling just around edges of crisp.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

Ginger-Avocado Sauce	1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 - 2 Inch Piece Ginger, Peeled	1 Medium Red Onion, Sliced
-And Sliced Into Coins	1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Avocados	4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice	1 Head Broccoli, Cut Into Floret's
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil	1 Small Head Cabbage Or Kale,
2 Teaspoon Honey	-Sliced Into Thin Ribbons
2 Teaspoon Lemon, Zest	4 Cups Organic Baby Spinach
2 Pinch Sea Salt	1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds, Lightly
Stir Fry	-Toasted

1. To make Ginger-Avocado Sauce: place ginger in a food processor, and pulse to mince. Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Blend in up to 1/2 cup water to thin to desired consistency. Store in refrigerator.
2. To make stir fry: Heat coconut oil in wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt; stir-fry 5 minutes, or until onion softens. Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes more. Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water; cover, and steam 3 minutes. Add cabbage; cover, and steam 2 minutes more.
3. Place spinach on a large plate. Top wit Broccoli mixture, and drizzle with Ginger-Avocado Sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

2 Tablespoon Slivered Almonds,	2 Tablespoon Boiling Water
-Chopped	3/4 Cups Couscous
2 Tablespoon Coconut, Shredded	3/4 Cups Boiling Water
4 Dried Apricots	Dash Of Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread almonds and coconut on a large flat baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Chop the apricots. Put them in a small bowl with honey an the 2 T. boiling water. Let sit until apricots are softened, about 10 minutes.
4. Five minutes before serving, measure couscous into a medium bowl. Add the 3/4 cup boiling water, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a plate. Let stand 5 minutes.
5. Stir to fluff couscous. Drain Liquid from apricots and stir into couscous. If couscous is still a little hard, cover and let steam 1-2 minutes more. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and half of the toasted nut-coconut mixture and mix into the couscous and apricots. Top with half of the toasted nut-coconut mixture. Serve warm

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

3 Tablespoon Corn Oil	2 Cups Water
1 Small Yellow Onion, Minced	1 Cups Fresh Or Frozen Corn
1 Jalapeno Pepper, Minced	Pinch Nutmeg
1 To 1 1/2 Pounds Sweet Potatoes,	Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper To
-Peeled And Cubed	-Taste
4 Cups Chicken Or Vegetable Stock	1/4 To 1/2 Cup Light Cream

1. In a pot or a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the Jalapeno and cook another 1-32 minutes.
2. Add sweet potatoes, stock, and water to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
3. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, puree the sweet potatoes in their cooking liquids. (If necessary, puree in batches.) Transfer the puree to a clean sauce pan.
4. Add the corn, seasonings, and if desired the cream to the puree. Reheat until soup comes just to the simmer. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

2 Cups Shitake Mushrooms, Sliced	2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 Lb. Fresh Asparagus, Cut Into	1/2 Cups White Wine
-1 1/2" Pieces	1/2 13.25 Oz. Pkg. Whole Wheat
1 Small Onion, Chopped (1 Cup)	-Linguine
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil	1/2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, Torn
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced	-Into Bite Sized Pieces
1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss together mushrooms, asparagus, onion, oil garlic, and red pepper flakes in large roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes, or until mushrooms and onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
2. Add tomatoes to pan, and roast 7-10 minutes more, or until tomatoes shrivel and soften. Transfer vegetables to bowl. Add wine to roasting pan, stirring to scrape off any stuck-on bits from bottom of pan. Place roasting pan on burner over medium heat, and simmer 2-3 minutes, or until wine has evaporated by half; or return roasting pan to oven 5 minutes, and let wine cook off.
3. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into reduced wine in roasting pan.
4. Return pasta to pot. Add wine mixture and vegetables, and toss over medium-low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

1 1inch Piece Fresh Ginger, Sliced	-And Cubed
2 Cloves Garlic, Peeled	2 Medium Carrots, Sliced
15 Oz. Can Diced Tomatoes	1 1/2 Teaspoon Gram Masala
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper	1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
2 Tablespoon Canola Oil	2 Cups Cauliflower Floret's
1 Medium Onion, Chopped	1/2 Cup Light Coconut Milk
1 Small Yellow Bell Peppers, Diced	1 Small Bag Peas (optional)
2 Medium Potatoes, Boiled, Peeled,

1. Pulse ginger and garlic in food processor until finely chopped. Add tomatoes with juice and cayenne pepper, and pulse until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and saute 10 minutes or until softened. Stir in potatoes, carrots, gram Masala, and chili powder. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add cauliflower, tomatoes mixture, peas and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut milk. Season with pepper.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

1/2 Cups Water	1 Lemon, Zest And Juice
1/2 Cups Sugar	1 Pint Fresh Whipped Cream
1 - 10 Oz. Bag Frozen Mixed Berries

1. In a small pot, stir together 1/2 cup of water and the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes and then set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Put the frozen berries, lime zest and juice, and cooled syrup into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until the berries are coarsely ground, about 2 minutes. Pour into a small metal bowl and stir a few times with a fork to break up any large pieces. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and place into the freezer for 20 minutes. Spoon into serving glasses and add, if you'd like, a dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream to each.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14 Snack mix

1/2 Oz Almonds	-Chopped
1/4 Oz Dry-Roasted Peanuts	1 1/2 Teaspoon Chocolate Chip
1/4 Oz Cranberries Dried	-(Dark)
1 Tablespoon Dates, Pitted And

Combine almonds, peanuts, cranberries, dates and chocolate chips in a small bowl.

Mondo Zen retreat 4-11-14

Base	5 Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa
1 1/3 Cups Mixed Nuts, Walnuts,	-Powder, Very Good Quality
-Brazil, Hazelnuts	4 Tablespoon Honey
6 Dates, Pitted	1/2 - 1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
3 Tablespoon Coconut Oil, Melted	3 Tablespoon Coconut Oil, Melted
Chocolate Layer	Fresh Mint Leaves For Garnish
4 Ripe Avocados, Very Soft	Shipped Cream Optional

1. To make the base, put the huts and dates in a food processor and process at full speed until a stiff dough is formed. Melt the coconut oil gently in a small pan over low heat and add the melted oil to the mixture. Process again until well mixed. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch (or 10" if for 12) spring form pan, and line the bottom with it, pressing down firmly with the back of the spoon to create a tightly compressed layer in the pan. Put the pan in the freezer to set while you begin preparing the chocolate layer.
2. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into the cleaned food processor. Add the unsweetened coca, honey, peppermint extract, and melted coconut oil, and blend to make a thick, velvety chocolate mousse.
3. Remove crust from the freezer and pour the chocolate mixture over the base, then smooth down into an even layer with a palette knife. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving. This will allow the coconut oil to set to create a firm base, and a velvety, tore-like topping. Decorate with mint leaves before serving, add whipped cream if you like.

4-11-14 Mondo Zen Retreat

1/2 Cups Wheat Berries	-Sliced
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil	1/4 Cup Brown Rice Vinegar
3.5 Oz. Shitake Mushrooms, Stemmed	4 Cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
-And Thinly Sliced (1 C.)	1 Bunch Kale, Stemmed And Coarsely
10 CLove Garlic, Peeled And Thinly	-Chopped

1. Soak wheat berries in large bowl of cold water overnight.
2. Heat oil in 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Saute mushrooms 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add garlic, and saute 2 minutes more. Stir in vinegar; simmer until vinegar is almost evaporated, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan.
3. Drain wheat berries, and add to mushroom mixture with vegetable broth and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Add kale, and cook 1--20 minutes more, or until kale is tender. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

12 Oz. Carrot, Sliced Into 1/2"	2 Tablespoon Honey
-Shapes	1 Oz Fresh Mint, Cut Into Thin
1 Tablespoon Grapeseed Oil	-Strips
Salt And Pepper To Taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, toss the carrot slices with the oil, salt, and pepper. Place the mixture on a sheet pan and roast for 15-2 minutes, or until the carrots have caramelized and have turned brown in some spots. Remove from the heat and place in a medium-sized bowl. Toss with honey and mint.

Mondo Zen Retreat 4-11-14

1 Cups Quinoa	1/4 Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 Head Radicchio, Cored And	1/4 Cups Pistachios
-Thinl;y Sliced	3 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar	1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil	Ground Pepper

1. Put Quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, and rinse well under cold water. In a sauce-pan, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add Quinoa, and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until grains are tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove Quinoa from heat, and let cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl, and fluff with a fork to separate grains.
2. Add Radicchio, vinegar, olive oil, cherries, pistachios, and parsley to bowl, and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.