Lyrad's green sauce

this is vegan and yummy as a dip or sauce with chips, bread, on enchiladas, etc.

INGREDIENTS
1 avocado
1 cup packed parsley and cilantro leaves (combined)
1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed
2 cloves garlic
juice of one lime (or two - get lots of limey goodness in there!)
½ cup water
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup shelled pistachios

INSTRUCTIONS
Pulse all ingredients - except pistachios - in a food processor until incorporated.
Add pistachios and pulse until mostly smooth (depends on what consistency you want).
Serve as a dip, spread, or sauce -- or add additional water or oil to thin the sauce for use as a dressing or a marinade.

NOTES
you can make this with other types of nuts like walnuts and almonds and it works just fine, but the taste wasn't as good IMHO. If you can find shelled pistachios, it's worth the splurge!

Lemon Bars

CRUST

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

FILLING:

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Additional confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 8" square pan. For crust: Stir flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in butter, oil and lemon zest until blended and crumbly. Press the dough in an even layer in the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.

For filling, in a small bowl, beat eggs. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice and peel; beat until frothy. Pour over the crust. Bake 25 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. 

Funeral Potatoes

 from: http://www.happybeinghealthy.com/

• 1 (2 pound) package frozen hash browns; thawed (you can boil and shred real potatoes if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup butter (you can cut this to 2 tablespoons for a healthier option)
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup (or see recipe below)
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream (you can use light or fat free sour cream)
• 1/2 cup onions; chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (you can use light varieties of cheese)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash black pepper
• crushed cornflakes or Ritz crackers (can can omit this step altogether if you like!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Add onion and saute 3-5 minutes or until tender.

Add hash browns, soup and sour cream.  Mix well.

Add cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Place mixture in greased 9 x 13 pan.  Top with cornflakes or crackers if desired.

Bake, covered, in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

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Healthy Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute

(1 recipe=1 can of cream of chicken soup)

• 3 T. flour (I used whole wheat)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• 1 T. butter
• 1/2 C. chicken broth (lower sodium is best)
• 3/4 C. skim milk (or whatever kind of milk you want to use)